My first serious bike was given to me by a workmate, an electrician who had been a rally cyclist - as an apprentice I was unable to afford one and when I told him he gave me one of his old racers - he had become arthritic
A week after I was able to master it safely I cycled to a friend's flat in South Liverpool (called The Dingle then, now known as Toxteth) - a place with a reputation
I parked the bike in the area in front and knocked on the door, and was invited in, we sat talking for a few minutes and my mate's mother asked, "How did you get here?" - I told here I had cycled
"Where did you leave your bike?" she asked - I told her
"It'll be long gone by now" she said - it had
Jim