Wow! Look at my latest hard rubbish pick-up today. Not sure what 'marque' it is yet, as the previous owner has cleverly disguised it's true identity with discreetly placed duct tape (which also protects the paint, preserving it's resale value) so as to deter bike thieves

Hmmm.... Wonder what NDA means?
Now, where should I start? Some 'Kill-Rust' perhaps? A wire brush? I might strip the components off and upgrade to more 'moderne' componentry. What do you think? Kid, you can have the
old bits. Come to think of it, Steve, you can have the frame. All I really want are the
memories!

(EDIT: Though, that chainring would make a nice
pentacle)
Also today, nearly picked up a Dragster with 3-spd Sturmey Archer T-bar shifter

As I was unbolting the front wheel to fit it in the car, a ten year old boy raced up on his BMX and asked "You're not going to take that are you? I just came back to pick it up!"
After going over the dilemma in my head for over a minute (still hunched over front wheel with spanner in hand) I finally succumbed to back pain and my inner goodness and said "No. You take it son. But look after it. Those T-bar shifters are as rare as hen's teeth".
He looked at the bike in awe

I wiped a tear from my eye

How could I not let a ten year old boy experience the feeling of owning his first ever Dragster (even if it was a shitheap)?
I drove aimlessly around for two or three blocks, lamenting "When will I ever own my first
real dragster?" when suddenly

"My camera! A photo!!" I drove around frantically looking for the boy wheeling his new pride and joy shitheap Dragster home so I could at least get a photo of it. But alas, he was not to be found

DOH!
The moral of this story?
You tell me......
