An interesting anecdote about two days ago...

[Timewalker]

I think I've mentioned this before, but there was the time I was having a diagnostic imaging procedure and I happened to be wearing a red shirt. The patient ahead of me and the technician were also wearing red shirts. I looked at the three of us and said, "Well, I guess one of us is going to die in the next fifteen minutes."

Both of them got the reference. But then this is L.A., where half the population has something to do with the film and TV industry, so you won't find too many Trek-illiterates here.

Back in the '80s our local Star Trek group decided to design uniforms for ourselves, and headed off to a fabric store. The clerk kept trying to steer us to the shiny red material, and couldn't understand why we kept telling her no, we absolutely could not have red uniforms, because we didn't want to die.

Seemed obvious to us.

On a practical level, it's probably safe to assume that you don't have to explain who "Darth Vader" is when talking to the average person. Unlike, say, Professor Quatermass or Hawkman.

Hawkman... hmm. That's a character in F. M. Busby's Hulzein Saga novels, right?

 

[Greg Cox]

I went to a scifi-themed restaurant once where the salads were listed on the menu as "Soylent Green."

Sadly, our waitress didn't seem to get the joke . . ..

 

[Captain Rob]

"Don't order it!. For God's sake don't order it!"
"It's people! It's made from people!!"

 

[Jon1701]

Years ago when I worked in restaurants I served a guy who's credit card read

Mr James Kirk

I wanted to say something but he was an older guy (he would have been born pre 66) so I figured he probably gets it all the time.

 

[Mario de Monti]

Well after everything has been thoroughly examined and analyzed and you come back to the start of this thread the bottom line is:
That´s a hell of a funny anecdote, Trek fan or not! Thanks for sharing