High Fidelity

For years, Barry has placed an advertisement in the store seeking any people who might be interested in forming a band. One day, Dick nudges Rob and they watch as a man approaches Barry in response to the sign. Barry and the man talk. After the man leaves, Barry returns to his work as though nothing has happened while Dick and Rob try to suppress their laughter.

Rob tracks down Jackie, who is now married to the man who caused her to break apart her relationship with Rob. She invites Rob to dinner with her family and he accepts. At dinner, Rob realizes that Jackie and her husband are “the most boring people in the south-east of England, possibly because they’ve been married too long, and therefore have nothing to talk about, apart from how long they’ve been married” (178). They try to give Rob tips for a successful relationship but he pays little attention. When he returns home, he receives a telephone call from Ian. He wants to know what he can do to help Rob deal with Laura’s absence. Rob rehearses a string of responses in his head but eventually just slams the telephone back on the receiver.