D&D General Ever overhear someone talking about D&D outside of a gameshop/con/etc?

[DarkCrisis]

Not D&D exactly, but close:

Walking to office in downtown Chicago, I see a 19-20 something woman wearing a jester backpack (critical role). So as I'm passing I say " Nice Jester backpack." The look of utter shock on her face, likely from hearing these words from a middle aged guy in a suit, was hilarious.

Had something similar happen with a girl wearing coat with a critical role patch on it.

 

[Charlaquin]

A ton of my coworkers play D&D, so I hear people talking about it there all the time.

 

[TarionzCousin]

The used bookstore I used to frequent when I was a kid (70's - 80's) was run by two "old guys" with long hair and mustaches who would regularly peruse the 1E PHB while behind the counter. I remember ten-year-old me thinking "That's a kid's game!"

 

[Brotton Goodfellow]

At work, those of us who play only talk about it in hushed tones in dark corners of our office. From these shadows I’ve pulled in more and more unsuspecting victims to the game.

 

[jdrakeh]

I used to have a Red Box t-shirt.

One day when I was waiting at the downtown bus station on the outbound bus to go home, the guy who owned the Thunder Dogs hot dog stand saw my shirt and asked if I played D&D. I said "yes" and he went on to say that both he and his wife of 40 years played D&D and that it's how they met. That was cool.

Much less cool was the time when I was wearing that shirt and a lady manning the register at Walgreen's asked me if I'd seen that "Tom Hanks movie" and that "It showed what D&D is really like!" - I just responded that, yes, I had seen it and that Tom Hanks was "a fine actor".

 

[Dioltach]

One of the guys in my gaming group heard a group of his IT co-workers talking about D&D, so he wandered over to join the conversation. "You play D&D? But ... you're old!"

 

[J-H]

The accounting manager at work had his 5e PHB sitting out on his desk a couple of years ago. I think the group he was playing with fell apart due to somebody being a jerk, though.

 

[MNblockhead]

Mostly among kids at my son's school. I never talk about it with them. I don't want them knowing 50-year old men play it and thereby making it uncool.