Have you ever...

I met a kid I knew who I didn't get along with in 8th grade at this year's new years party (I'm 23 now.) What's crazy is that I recognized him outright and thought 'there is NO WAY' but... it was.

We both flipped out and laughed forever, and it's like actually kind of a relief because we were total dicks to eachother, but... now we're cool. Like 10 years later.

Also, technically, I met my current boss at one - though he wasn't my boss at the time.

Yes, actually, and it was pretty funny.

I was at Furry Weekend Atlanta 09, and I was perusing the artist's alley/dealer's den. Suddenly a guy that looked vagely familiar to me came up to me and asked me if my name was Martinez. I said no, I wasn't, said I was sorry and moved on. Not to be outdone, he comes back 5 minutes later and asks me if I was sure that I wasn't someone he knew? That went to the Defense Language Institute in Monterey California? And I'm like, "Dude! What is your name?!" And he tells me his name, and I'm all "WTF YOU?! I'm not Martinez, I'm B!" And we laughed and hugged and I asked him why the heck didn't he tell me he was a fuzzbutt? He claimed I never told him I was either. Oops. XD

I used to work for a chemical company in the Raleigh, NC area back in 2001 or so. I was part of a small group of engineers doing research and development - maybe eight people total. Nice folks, though we didn't really socialize much and I certainly didn't think any of them would be interested in fannish pursuits.

Anyway, I was at Mephit Furmeet in Memphis that year and imagine my surprise when I turned around in the hotel restaurant and...there was one of my co-workers! It turns out that he had had a lot of fun doing costuming with his church groups and working with kids, had heard of this neat convention in Memphis, and decided to go. I was shocked, but pleasantly surprised That fine gentleman is still a very active fursuiter to this day, known in furry fandom as Wally Wolf.

To this day, I have yet to see any of my colleagues or family at a fur con. However, at Animé Detour in Minneapolis, I did meet a few of my colleagues there, a few who learned that I was a furry.

Seems furs are quite welcome at animé conventions.

I haven't, though I have a story on seeing it happen.

At Furfright 2009, Giza and I were discussing convention business, both of us as halfway on-Duty security, wandering about. Some of our discussions were a bit confidential, so we were looking for a discreet location.. and eventually settled on the mostly-empty Dealer's room, where the only two people in there were two staffers handling finances. We settled down, chatting about this and that... and a woman in her 20's came in.
"Have you guys seen a ring anywhere?"
"Nope, sorry.. tried Lost And Found?"
"Yeah, it's not there.. just hoping someone's found it."

Then she heads to the two staff members.
Her: "Hey there, guys, have you seen a ring?"
Staff Guy 1: "No, sorry."
Staff Guy 2: "Nope."
Her: "... Wait. Adam? Adam Sharp?"
Staff Guy 2: "... ... ANGIE??"[*1]

Giza: "Wait, you two know each other?"
Angie: "We used to date in high school!"
Adam: "When did you become a furry??"

Giza and I were flabbergasted. Not as much as Adam and Angie, I'm sure.
--Chi
[*1] Names are changed, not to protect the innocent, but because I've forgotten them.

I hope this never happens to me.

I'm surprised and a little disappointed I've never seen someone I knew while at a furry con. As far as I know none of my family or extended family are furries and I doubt any of my coworkers at my main job are furries. I could see some of the coworkers or customers at my weekend job being furries since they're all a bit more liberal and open minded there, but of all the times I've worn furry convention T-shirts to work nobody has ever recognized them. It would be sort of like seeing someone I knew while at a nudist resort. "Wow, I didn't know you came to places like this!"