I had hand-me-down everything growing up, from clothes to bicycles. With 4 siblings, a "homemaker" Mom, and only my Dad working, that was the norm. I never needed anything and had a great childhood, but I wanted lots of things.
We had a Western Auto store (remember those?) in my home town and their bicycle display had about 3 bikes. The same three bikes for YEARS. Whenever my Dad and I went there, I would eye up one of those bikes. I wanted it badly.
One day my Dad and I went there and I went right over to the bike. He came walking over and said, "You think you could ride that all the way home?"
"Huh?"
"Do you think you could ride that bike all the way home?"
"Yes."
"Well, get on it and go."
"What?"
"Get on the bike and ride it home. I'll be along in a bit."
I searched his eyes to see if he was serious and he was. I was grinning from ear to ear as I walked that bike out of that store. Didn't even stop at the register. The lady behind it smiled back at me. I got on it and rode it home. We lived on a really low traffic road, and I passed a tractor on the way, but no other vehicles for the 1.5 mile distance. I looked behind me and there was Dad in his truck, keeping pace.
That day was the best. I rode the heck out of that bicycle for years.