High Fidelity(3)

Summary
Laura finally decides to move her stuff out of Rob's apartment, a month after the break-up. They get along for the most part, but then Rob ruins it by picking at Laura's new relationship.
For his birthday, Rob decides to rent three movies he's been wanting to see, sit at home, drink beer, and watch them alone. Before starting the second movie he gets a call from his mother, she comforts him but then makes him feel worse about himself. Right after he gets a call from Laura, who just wants to wish him a happy birthday, but he gets over dramatic about the fact that she's calling him from a phone booth and can't just call him from home. He then decides to go out for his birthday, he calls a couple of friends that he has almost lost touch with and Marie LaSalle. They all go out for a few drinks and make decent conversation but no one is really having a good time. Rob reflects on how he has lost his old group of friends while dating Laura because he started hanging out with her friends more, and his less.
Laura's dad dies. She calls to tell Rob that her mom wants him to come to the funeral. Rob agrees to go to the funeral with their mutual friend Liz. While at the funeral, Liz starts casually talking about Laura and her new relationship and Rob gets overwhelmed with emotion all of a sudden and leaves. While out walking he sees Laura's car coming towards him, he jumps over a wall and lays in a flower bed until he thinks she has driven away. She is still there waiting for him and tells him to get in the car. They talk about why both of them left and Rob goes even further by saying the reason he cheated on Laura was that he knew someday she would die and he was afraid of losing her, so cheating on her was his way of trying to distance himself from her. Laura accepts his apology, and then asks him to have sex with her. Rob feels guilty but then agrees. They drive to a private road where Laura's dad used to take her. They start to fool around a bit but then Laura starts to cry. They decide to go out to a bar instead and talk some more. They go back to the funeral briefly, and then decide to go home.
Rob and Laura are back together and living in the same apartment again. All of their conversations together are them pointing out how they've changed, and all of the flaws they see in each other. Laura admits that she's only with Rob because she's too tired to not be with him. Rob just feels he needs a woman in his life at all times and it might as well be Laura, but he never says this, he just gets offended when she says her side.

Reflection
I do think that men have more tolerance and understanding when reading about other men in unfortunate situations because it's probably easier for them to relate to. While reading this book I can't help thinking what I would do if I was in the same situation (which would be moving on to Marie LaSalle, she seems much more interesting). I'm sure if I was reading about a woman getting dumped and not doing so well with money, I would have a little more sympathy than I do while reading about Robert Fleming. I would still point out what she could do better, but in a more constructive way and less of a "you're such a pathetic idiot" kind of way.
I've been anticipating a sad ending since I started reading this book, especially now that I'm almost done with it, because things can't really get better with so many issues and so few pages left. I still think Rob is a pathetic loser, and he'll probably end up settling for Laura.