I got out of the car, opened the trunk and got the jack. I had never changed a tire before. I placed the jack under the car — was that the right place for it? — and cranked the car up. I tried to unscrew the lug nuts, but the wheel kept spinning and the nuts wouldn’t move.

I was about to give up and walk. I thought maybe there was a service station somewhere nearby. But I would have had to leave my sample case and all my lighters in the car. I didn’t want to do that.

“I have to get those lug nuts to get loose,” I thought. “I need friction to keep that wheel from turning.”

It dawned on me that if I lowered the car back down, the street would provide that friction.

I lowered the car to the street, and was indeed able to unscrew the nuts. I cranked the car back up again, removed the flat tire, got the spare in place, screwed the nuts back on, lowered the car, threw the flat and all the equipment in the trunk and drove off.

The next day, I went to Macy’s. They didn’t want my lighters. Gimbels took a few on consignment.

— Joe Vles