Great story! I hope things work out with your friends. That's a bad situation to be in and I'm glad you were able to help them out.
I've purchased several sewing machines at pawn shops (although they don't carry them as much as they did) and I figure I'm indirectly helping someone who was in a similar situation as your friends.
My mother has her mother's old Singer and I got a really great deal on a decent new Singer. That's actually 2 separate stories. The new Singer wasn't a bad *sewing* machine at all, but didn't quite take to quilting. I used her a bit, but decided I didn't have much use for her. I had mentioned to my mom (who is one of those "I'd like to start sewing but _______" fill in the blank with any excuse) that I had it and didn't need it. I had a whole $50 tied up in her. "I don't want it! I want a machine that does straight stitch and zig zag only! I don't know anything about those other stitches and I'm too old to start learning now!"
There are 2 kinds of people that buy sewing machines: Those who use (or at least collect them - like us) and those who think they are going to use them. The ones who think they are going to use them will get them from Walmart for $80 and think all sewing machines are the same. This particular model was about $300 new, so I wasn't going to sell her to someone who thinks they are going to use them (because they should be able to get one for $20 if they cost $80 new, right?!). And people like us don't want it either, unless we can get it for a song (or a grill)!
So poor girl, just couldn't find her a home. My mother's old Singer, on the other hand, just sat in the cabinet where she's sat for 20 years, collecting more dust because my mom is scared of her.
Where am I going with this? I gave the new one to her for Mother's Day. On Monday, I got a text, "I need your help, you need to fix it". So Monday afternoon, I threaded it and showed her how and how to thread the bobbin. Sewed like a dream. On Wednesday, she showed me a pile of hot pot holders (gifts) she's made! I said, "Isn't it easy to sew on a machine that you just step on the pedal and go?" and she admitted it was. In my haste, I forgot to pack all the extras that go with the machine, and I never had a manual for it. I told her I'd print one out but haven't yet.
Moral of my early-morning babbling- have fun with your plastic kid! I couldn't a Singer 3210 online.