D&D Ain't My Game

The first time I laid eyes on a D&D set was in a little hobby shop in Grand Bend.  Haven't a clue what year.  Not even sure if it was Before Star Wars or After Star Wars.  I didn't have money for the box and couldn't convince my grandfather to spring for it.

And that was pretty much it between me and D&D for quite some time.

Oh, sure, I've played since, in sessions here and there.  Read scenarios and stuff in White Dwarf.  Even owned the Holmes and Mentzer sets.  But that was after one of the Steve Jacksons had got into my noggin with The Fantasy Trip.  I've spent more time with Car Wars autoduels or Fighting Fantasy gamebooks or GURPS campaigns than with D&D.

And yes, I know the FF books weren't by "Texas" Jackson (except for the three that were) but that's beside the point, which is "D&D Ain't My Game."

So I find myself in a peculiar relationship with D&D.  Interested, but not participating.  Everybody's either so far ahead of me that I can't contribute much of anything to the D&D conversation, or they're completely disinterested and there is no D&D conversation.  I'm in limbo.