He found a YouTube video from a Slovakian repair channel. The video was titled “Jura E8 Error 8 Fix – No Nonsense.” In it, a man with magnificent eyebrows and a soldering iron took apart an E8 in twelve minutes. He didn’t speak. He just worked. And at 7:42, he pointed to a small, white solenoid valve, removed its two screws, and manually pushed a tiny plunger with a paperclip. The video ended with the machine brewing a shot of espresso.

Arthur bid $200. With ten seconds left, a sniper outbid him at $250. He lost.

He reassembled the machine. He plugged it in. He pressed the power button.