The Art of Racing in the Rain Chapters 41-45 Summary

How It All Goes Down

  • Enzo takes a break from storytelling to lay down some more racing metaphors.
  • At this point, we're convinced that Enzo might become an entertainer or a show host in his next life.
  • This time the story is about one Luigi Chinetti.
  • Chinetti was a racer from 1932 to 1953 and is best known for winning the first ever Ferrari victory in 1949, when he drove more than 23 hours and 30 minutes of a 24-hour race.
  • Did the guy even take bathroom breaks?
  • Enzo wonders who possessed his soul after Chinetti died at the age of ninety-three.
  • Keep this concept in mind for later.
  • Yeah, we're talking heavy-handed foreshadowing here. #spoileralert2
  • A year goes by, with the same schedule of visitation rights for Denny and Zoë.
  • A year? Holy cow.
  • Denny spends his time with Zoë taking her places and teaching her things, enriching her mind and all that.
  • Because, you know, Denny's a good parent who doesn't deserve to have to fight for custody of his daughter.
  • Then there's the go-karts, which Zoë loves most of all.
  • Zoë's a natural at go-karts. Wonder where she gets it?
  • Denny places a bet with the go-kart worker that if Zoë wins, Denny won't have to pay for the round.
  • Denny's not convinced that Zoë can beat him, given his profession.
  • Zoë whoops Denny.
  • You go, girl.
  • But it can't be all fun and go-karts.
  • Back in the real world of adult problems, Denny and Mark have another discussion about Denny's payments, the trial proceedings, and, of course, Denny's payments.
  • Did we mention that Denny owes Mark some payments?
  • Denny owes Mark some payments. And Mark's not going to let him forget it.
  • Denny begs for thirty more days to get Mark his money, and Mark begrudgingly agrees.
  • Mark's not a terrible guy, but he does have to pay for his espresso addiction.
  • In order to keep Mark working on his case, Denny sells his house.
  • Enzo's less surprised by this news than he is upset that he lost his dog door and his backyard.
  • Denny and Enzo move into a little apartment on Capitol Hill.
  • Enzo tries to be a good sport about this change, but he really misses that dog door.
  • After Denny successfully pays off his account with Mark Fein—like literally right after Mark gets appointed to be a circuit judge, a non-refusable position that effectively makes him unable to work Denny's case.
  • Are you kidding us?
  • Denny's new lawyer, Mr. Lawrence, has none of the fire and spark of Mark Fein. He doesn't even have a first name. Okay, he probably does, but Enzo doesn't know it, so as a result we don't know it.
  • Maybe we'll call him Larry.
  • On top of everything, the Evil Twins now sue Denny for child support, asking him for money he clearly doesn't have.
  • They really are evil, aren't they?