My teenaged son wanted a BP. We agreed to pay for half if he paid for the rest with his own money. He kept his end of the deal, we kept ours.
I literally grumbled and groused saying that I didn't mind but I didn't see any POINT in having a snake as a pet since they didn't really DO anything. Not afraid, just.. 'Meh' about it. Then we picked up the snake and I fell HARD. He was just so calm, docile and utterly undemanding and *relaxing* that I got hooked.
So I bought my own snake.
And then a couple of more ;-)