“ | The best thing about Robbie was that he was somebody. He was a jerk sometimes, and he could be a joke, and he loved to have mirrors around when we made love so he could watch himself fucking me, but he was alive, puppy. He wanted things. He filled the space. | ” |
–Laura to Shadow about Robbie, Chapter Twelve |
Robbie Burton was Shadow's best friend. He owned the Muscle Farm and was holding a job for Shadow when he got out of prison. He died in a car accident with Shadow's wife, Laura, when she was giving him a goodbye blowjob before Shadow returned from prison.
Background[]
Shadow met Audrey and Robbie Burton through Laura and got a job working with Robbie at the Muscle Farm before he was arrested and imprisoned.
"The Bone Orchard"[]
At the funeral parlor, Shadow arrives and sits next to Audrey. She proceeds to tells a clueless Shadow that Laura died with Robbie's cock in her mouth while he was driving and veered into oncoming traffic.
Shadow arrives at the cemetery for the burial and remains behind until he is the only one left. He tosses in the gold coin he received from Sweeney the night before. Audrey appears at the cemetery after pissing on Robbie's grave and tries to get Shadow to have revenge sex on Laura's grave. He rejects her. She then wants to perform oral sex with Shadow ejaculating in her mouth so she can spit his semen out on Robbie's grave. Shadow again refuses and declines the offer. He then begins walking back into town alone.
"Git Gone"[]
When Laura and Shadow start dating, she introduces him to her friends, Audrey and Robbie Burton. After Shadow is arrested, Laura spends time with Audrey and Robbie and visits Shadow in prison. She returns home one night to find her cat, Dummy, dead on the floor. She calls Robbie and drinks wine while he buries Dummy in the backyard. He offers for her to come crash on their couch for the night but she refuses. She goes to him for a hug, which turns into a kiss. Laura pulls away, saying she is drunk and alone and her cat just died. They start kissing again. The next day, Robbie comes over to Laura's house with a fake excuse. Laura makes it clear that she is waiting for Shadow before they go inside to have sex.
Laura accepts a collect call from Shadow five days before he is to be released from prison. He has an uneasy feeling about a storm coming. She reveals to him that she and Robbie are planning a surprise party for his homecoming. Robbie is lying naked on Laura's bed. She hangs up with Shadow and they go on a drive in Robbie's car.
Robbie wants to leave Audrey for Laura but Laura tells him it is over because Shadow is coming home. She breaks it off with him, giving him a blowjob as he sings The Weight along with the radio. Laura's knee accidentally knocks the gearshift just as Robbie swerves to avoid an oncoming car. Their car ends up in a ditch with their bodies strewn along the highway.
Chapter Two[]
At the funeral parlor, Audrey Burton arrives and spits in Laura's face. She tells Shadow that Laura died with Audrey's "husband's cock in her mouth."
Shadow arrives at the cemetery for the burial and remains behind until he is the only one left. He tosses in the gold coin he received from Sweeney the night before and begins walking back into town. Audrey follows along beside him in her car as she tells him about Laura and Robbie's affair before taking off again.