Here`s a story I`d like to pass along as it pertains to this topic and as a lesson to those who hesitate and wish they hadn`t.
When I was young and living on my own in Portland, Maine I was walking through a park on my way home. There was a baseball diamond and near the pitchers mound was a man and a young boy trying to get some type of a Cox model (can`t remember which) going.
The control lines were all laid out and I stood outside the fence around the diamond watching them. It became obvious that the man was having trouble getting the engine running, that the engine would die after the prime shot ran out. The boy was probably around 7 or 8 and was excited and nervous at the same time.
It was at this point that I could and should have stepped in and offered to help, since I was experienced at running those engines up, even though I`d never flown one.
But I just stood there as the man and his boy grew more and more frustrated. Maybe I was hoping the man would look over and ask if I knew anything about these, or maybe I thought it would be too intrusive to just step in Who knows. I think the man was ready to throw in the towel by the time I walked away. Hopefully they succeeded at one time or another, but I don`t think it was then because I never heard the familiar .049 scream as it was peaked out the farther and farther I walked away.
I think of that moment in time once in a while and that I could have made a bad situation good had I just stepped in and offered to help.
It`s a lesson to me now that if one can make a difference in a situation and make it better, than by all means don`t hesitate.

Yeah, just reading your story makes me want to open the needle.

And you might have taken a different route home that day and never witnessed the event, much less interacted with them.

It's been my experience that they who have succeeded didn't let a day-one failure stop them. They sought help or figured it out.
The pair either did or did not become lifelong enthusiasts whether or not you helped. You may have sped things up, though.

I understand how you feel, but don't beat yourself up too much. We all have regrets.
Look at it this way: You've grown.

That sure brings back a memory. But the engine was a McCoy red head 35. Every time the dad removed the battery clip the engine would die. I was at the flying field at McCord AFB it was the old motor pool on base. I was young maybe 13 and was flying my Ringmaster. It was powered with my trusty Fox 35. STUNT. Never had a McCoy at that time but several AF guys swar by them as a great engine. I just watched and another AF Tech Sgt a friend showed up.to fly his super ringmaster. The father was getting really flustered and what he did burned up the glow plug. The engine quiet firing. I had never seen them at the MP. But we helped me and the TSgt Gave the father a new plug opened up the needle valve 2.8 turns she fired right up. They had built the Top flight magician. Great memory.AJ

In my older age now 77 I-am still reluctant in giving advise. Especially at the flying field. Mostly electric now, and just don’t know anything about this electric and new radio technology. I guess that’s the biggest reason I went back to U control. Just too complicated for me. I never realized how much I missed it. Chuck teaseley is a friend and he was a former UC guy in his teens. Had flown RC 72. He came out with a shoe string. UC with a RC engine and was using his radio to control the carb. That’s improvise adapt and adjust!!!!!! Had fun doing tough and goes! AJ.