I saw this tube tester on the back of a truck and my mind wandered to those glorious days of yesteryear.
Way way back even as far back as the days when radio was king up till they started building solid state entertainment media this tester was a blessing to all.
For most a serviceman's visit to the house was too expensive and even if your parents could afford him he would always say that he had to take it back to the shop.
Your TV would disappear into his truck and you never knew when it would return.
Why you might even miss the hearty Hi Ho Siver of the Lone Ranger or miss seeing the gang at Howdy Doody's peanut gallery!
But if you took all the tubes out of the TV or radio and went to your nearest test station you might just find the offending tube and purchase a new one.
Once home you put back all the tubes, switched on the TV and waited.
There was no Instant On TV's in those days so you just waited until the set warmed up and sprang back to life.
Would the new tube work? Would I get to see Milton Berle tonight?
The little white ball grew and grew and finally depending on the time of the day that familiar Indian test pattern might appear or Gorgeous George the wrestler might be throwng bobby pins to the crowd at Madison Square Garden.
When the TV came back as good as new you would be the Hero Of The Day and maybe mom would give you a bigger piece of cake than your snotty little brother.