Man Says Gaming Session Got Canceled Because He Wouldn’t Take Off His Shoes

A man says a Dungeons & Dragons session he was expecting to participate in was canceled after a situation involving his shoes and his friend’s wife.

In a post on Reddit, the 38-year-old man said he was invited to play with four other people at his friend Alex’s house. Upon his arrival, he said Alex’s wife “immediately asked me to take my shoes off because they have a strict no-shoes policy due to them having a crawling baby.”

But according to the Reddit user, there was a problem: he has a medical condition called epidermolysis bullosa simplex (EBS), “which makes the skin on my feet extremely fragile.” 

“Even mild friction or pressure can cause painful blisters and tears, so I have to wear supportive shoes with cushioned orthopedic insoles at all times, even indoors,” the man wrote. “Walking barefoot or just in socks causes me pain and can lead to bleeding.”

The man said he explained his medical condition, but that Alex’s wife suggested he “put grocery bags or socks over my shoes.” He then told her that would be “unsafe for walking” and ultimately thought the comment was “insulting.” 

Additionally, the man noted that he sent a text message in their group chat a few days prior expressing concern about his medical condition and said his friend “reassured me that I shouldn’t worry about it,” which was why he didn’t have his “indoor shoes” on him.

However, ultimately the man said Alex’s wife told him she would not “compromise her baby’s health for his comfort.” Alex, 34, came to the door a short time later, and told him to “just deal with it for a couple hours” or he would not be welcome inside. 

“I told him I wasn’t going to risk injuring myself over a DnD session, and if my shoes were that big of an issue, I’d respectfully leave,” the Redditor wrote.

The man then returned to his car, at which point he overheard Alex’s wife telling the other guests the night was “off” because of the “huge scene.”

But many Reddit users sided with Alex and his wife, sharing that they felt the man could have covered his shoes, as he was asked. A number also took issue with him being insulted by the request.

“Maintenance people do this all the time when they enter homes, it does not affect how well you walk and seems like it would have been a good compromise,” one person wrote. “YTA for thinking this is insulting.”

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Ultimately, the community agreed that the man should have been respectful of the house rules. “Her concerns for her child are completely valid, especially in their own home,” one person said. “Heck just wanting floors that don’t have outside dirt tracked in is completely valid.”

Another person wrote, “Yes you have a medical condition, but it’s not your house. You find her wanting you to cover your shoes insulting. Too bad. The soles of shoes are extremely filthy and still not your house.”