Rainbows End Chapter 8 Summary

No User-Serviceable Parts Within

  • After that blowup, Robert isn't totally comfortable at home. So he spends a lot of time in the self-driving cars, looking at San Diego and surrounding areas.
  • Like he takes a self-driving car out as far as he can go, searching to get away from the internet. Which doesn't really work.
  • Out here, Robert remembers his convo with his son after the Ezra Pound incident. Bob tells Robert he needs to move out after the school semester.
  • And he also points out that all of Robert's old "friends" are avoiding him because no one really likes him.
  • Meanwhile, Juan wants to get his schoolwork for Composition on track because he'll have to demo it in public instead of taking a final test.
  • In shop, Juan observes everyone's projects and decides to approach Robert Gu. Gu is so depressed about losing his poetry and gaining some mechanical talent that he even—gasp!—talks to Juan.
  • Then, from Juan's POV, Robert flips out. He complains that all the objects they use are sealed, all marked with "No user-serviceable parts within." Like the cars—what makes them go?
  • So Robert takes Xiang's project, a transport tray. (Think of a table where the surface can move things.) Robert twists the tray so that it moves things fast.
  • He grabs some metal balls and shoots at one of the self-driving cars. Using the transport tray to shoot the balls, Gu cuts open the car's engine compartment, which is one way to deal with his frustration over losing his poetic ability.
  • And all the parts inside the car say the same thing: No user-serviceable parts within. So Robert wanders off like a lonely madman. (To be fair, he is kind of a lonely madman.)
  • After school, Juan gets a call from Robert, offering to collaborate on composition.