Chapter 63: Expensive Roadkill - Summary and Analysis
⚠️ Spoiler Notice
This page contains detailed plot points from Chapter 63 of Remarkably Bright Creatures. If you haven’t read that far, consider waiting.
Summary
Chapter 63 follows Cameron’s solitary drive north after repairing his camper van. He stops worrying about the engine after the successful fix. At a highway sign for Weed, California, he reaches for his phone to take a picture for Brad but discovers it missing. He later realizes he left the phone on the front bumper while changing the belt, rendering it “expensive roadkill.” Exhausted after nearly thirty hours without sleep, he pulls into a truck stop in the Rogue River Valley for a six-hour nap. Upon waking, he buys black coffee and, on his way out, discards a nearly full pack of cigarettes. As he continues driving, he repeatedly dwells on his foolish resignation note and begins mentally composing an apology. Crossing the Columbia River bridge, he reenters Washington state, northbound, with a new resolve to do things the right way.
Key Events
- Cameron confirms the engine repair worked, ending his fear of a breakdown.
- He discovers his phone is missing after leaving it on the bumper; it is now destroyed.
- He takes a six-hour nap at a truck stop, then buys coffee and throws away his cigarettes.
- He mentally revisits his resignation letter and starts crafting an apology.
- He crosses the Columbia River bridge back into Washington, determined to make amends.
Character Development
- Cameron shows growth through exhaustion and reflection. His laughter at losing his phone reveals a rare, self-aware humor. The nap indicates he’s learning to care for himself. Tossing the cigarettes symbolizes a step toward healthier choices. His repeated thoughts about the resignation note and his emerging apology demonstrate a shift from impulsive action toward accountability. The decision to “do things the right way” marks a clear maturation from earlier chapters.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Journey and Direction: The chapter is structured as a road trip, with specific mile markers and exit numbers. Cameron’s northward travel mirrors his internal progress toward redemption.
- Loss and Release: The lost phone—an “expensive piece of roadkill”—represents severed communication and the cost of carelessness. Tossing the cigarettes is a deliberate act of letting go of a bad habit.
- Exhaustion and Clarity: Sleep deprivation leads to irrational laughter but also forces Cameron to pause. The nap becomes a turning point; after rest, he makes clearer decisions (throwing away cigarettes, composing an apology).
- Apology and Accountability: Cameron’s mental composition of an apology hints at his desire to repair relationships, aligning with the novel’s broader theme of reconciliation.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter is a quiet but crucial pivot for Cameron’s arc. It bridges his failed scheme in California with his return to Washington, shifting the narrative from escape to reckoning. The simple acts of sleeping, discarding cigarettes, and mentally apologizing signal a commitment to change. The loss of his phone literally cuts off his past, forcing him to focus on the present and future. It sets up the final act of the novel, where Cameron must face the consequences of his actions.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does Cameron laugh when he realizes his phone is destroyed? Cameron’s wild laugh stems from extreme exhaustion (nearly 30 hours without sleep) and a sense of gallows humor. He recognizes the absurdity of his own carelessness—leaving an expensive phone on the bumper while fixing the van—and the laugh is a release of tension.
2. What does throwing away the cigarettes signify for Cameron’s character development? The act of discarding a nearly full pack of cigarettes symbolizes a conscious effort to break an unhealthy habit. It reflects Cameron’s growing self-awareness and willingness to make positive changes, even small ones, as he heads north to make amends.
3. How does the structure of the chapter (using mile markers and exits) reinforce the theme? The mile markers and exit numbers create a sense of geographic progress and time passing. They structure Cameron’s journey physically, mirroring his internal journey toward maturity and redemption. Each marker marks a step away from his past mistakes and closer to accountability.