FATHER - I GOT IT

Flashback: When I was an 8-year-old kid, my father empowered me and gave me plenty of

condence I would need later in life by permitting me to replace the tubes in our 25” Zenith

Television set. No one was allowed to touch the back of that TV set but yours truly...Power!...

With a Can-Do attitude, he would buy me the infamous “Build a Radio Kit” for my early technical

training. We visited Western Auto Parts Store often, our favorite place to shop.

They had bicycles & all kind of gadgets...just maybe...maybe...NAH, a bicycle never in his budget!

That simple TV repair opportunity was not slighted. I could never make a tube mistake. Back then,

there were no TV's in every room, not where I grew up. One B&W TV, everyone watched the same

program at the same time. One mistake and we would be staring at each other or bedtime.

The tube TV diagnosis and repair was actually pretty simple. He knew it. I simply had to avoid that

mistake of a blank screen and no entertainment. Lots of pressure for an 8 yr. old. With the help of

my radio kit, I was reading circuits at age 8.

Saturday mornings were our only unrestricted TV viewing hours.

My father often visited his best friend on Saturday mornings. He often would take me and my
younger brother with him....you know, just the guys.

I don't think the girls were ever invited, nor wanted to go.

My younger brother and I opted for the adventure vs. Sat. cartoons every time. We were under 10
years old during that time.

We joyfully played with each other, ran around in his friend's huge back yard and ate all the fruit
and berries we could off the trees and bushes. My father's friend had no children.

Since my father was a man of few words, I would try to eavesdrop on my dad's conversation with
his best friend.

The eavesdropping gave me an opportunity to listen to his voice in a normal tone.