Please help me understand:

print gettype(new CustomerObject()) 

prints: "object" (so it is an object)

BUT

print gettype((new CustomerObject())->get_customer());

prints: unexpected T_OBJECT_OPERATOR

If I do it over two lines it works fine

$object = new Customer($order->customer_id);
print gettype($object);

prints: object

$customer = $object->get_customer();
print gettype($customer);

prints: array

It appears that the lines cannot be joined into a single call. Is this correct? and what is the logic behind that?