“It’s your life.” That’s what she told him. He could tell she was upset, but he just didn’t know why. Robb was in the beginning of his freshman year of college. He was going to this small Christian school in nowhere Pennsylvania. One of the steel mining towns outside of Pittsburgh. It was a big change because he was from the city. He wasn’t used to this small city living. He figured he could get used to it though.
He had met Teresa, well, Tiny, as everyone called her, about a month after the start of school. She worked at the Dairy Queen a couple of blocks from the school’s football stadium.
Robb was a football player. As a freshman, he didn’t play a whole lot, but he was on the kickoff, and punt teams. Their games were all on Saturdays. Sometimes they were in the afternoon, and sometimes in the evenings. Friday evenings though, the town’s high school team used the stadium.
It was after one of those Friday evening games, when Robb, Marshall, JT, and Bear, decided to head over to Dairy Queen to get something to eat. Rob actually wanted to go to Big Boy’s, but he was out voted. The Dairy Queen wasn’t the typical little DQ, where you stood outside and ordered, but a big one where you could actually go inside and sit down and eat at a table like at the other fast food restaurants.
They went to the counter to order, and this girl with this beautiful smile comes up to take their order. They were all joking around with her, and found out her name, and everything. Her last name was Archibald, and all of her friends called her Tiny, after the basketball player, Nate “Tiny” Archibald. She seemed to take a little liking to Robb, and he was going to make it a point to come back soon. By himself. She was 16, and was a junior in high school. Robb was just 18 though, so he figured that wasn’t too bad.
Well soon was just the next day. They had a home game that afternoon. They lost. Robb did pretty well on the special teams. As they did after every game, whether they were at home, or on the road, they had a team dinner. After the dinner, Robb slipped over to the DQ. He was surprised that Tiny was so happy to see him. It was a very slow night for the restaurant, so that gave her plenty of time to talk. Robb had meant to order something, but they were having such a nice time talking, that he forgot.
She was off at 9:00, so Robb did, what for him, was a bold move, and asked if he could walk her home. Tiny happily said yes. She lived in the Washington Heights Projects, about six blocks away. She lived there with her mom, and older sister.
Thus, it began. Friday evenings. Every Friday evening, Robb would come and walk Tiny home. It was their thing, and he really looked forward to it, and so did Tiny. She was his getaway. Someone who could help him clear his head. He was having a hard time adjusting to life at this little school, where he felt that he could never really be himself, except around the close friends he hung out with.
Tiny would listen intently to him, and he would listen to her, as she told him about her struggles. How she wished her father was around more often. He was around. Just not around them.
Now Robb and Tiny weren’t really dating. She had her whole life with her school, and her friends, and he had his with school and football. Robb couldn’t really explain what they were. Tiny called him her Angel. He just knew that he liked spending time with her.
As the school year started to near the end, Robb made the decision that after his sophomore year, he was going to transfer to another school. By then, Tiny would be starting her freshman year at college. She had talked about maybe going to Tuskegee, or maybe Clark College in Atlanta. She really wanted to get out of this town.
Robb really couldn’t understand why Tiny was so upset. He had told her about his plans to transfer, and she paused for a second, then she said, very sharply, “Well, it’s your life!” They were at her front door, so at that point, she ran inside, and closed the door. “What the heck just happened?” Robb asked himself. He walked back to campus feeling confused.
The next day was Saturday, and she didn’t work on Saturdays anymore. He wasn’t going to call her. If there was going to be an argument, he didn’t want to do it over the phone. He knew that he probably wouldn’t be able to see her until Sunday at church. The Second Baptist Church. They never sat together, but they always talked after church, and sometimes, she would have him come over for Sunday dinner. That was always nice. Her mom liked him, and her sister would always ask him about Bear, who she had a huge crush on.
Well Sunday after church, Tiny actually came up to him. She gave him a weak smile, and apologized for the way things ended the other night. “It’s just that you’ll be going away to another school, and I’ll still be here, and I’ll just miss you so, so much.” she said. Robb looked at her with a confused look on his face. “What do you mean, you’re gonna be here?” He asked. “You’re gonna be in Atlanta, or at Tuskegee enjoying that college life. You’re not even gonna be thinking about me!” Tiny looked at him. “What do you mean. You know I have another whole year before I go to college.” she said. “And I have another whole year before I transfer schools.” Robb replied. “Another year?” Tiny asked. “Yeah.” Robb replied. Tiny gave a sigh of relief, and gave Robb a hug. “
Sometimes things get jumbled up. Tiny had thought Robb would be leaving for good at the end of this school year. She didn’t realize that he was talking about the end of the next year. She looked up at him, and now gave him her customary beautiful smile. “Do you want to come over for dinner? Mom is making pork chops.” Robb replied, “Oh Yeah! I love your mom’s pork chops.” Instead of riding with her mom and sister, they walked. Tiny took his hand, and held it like she never wanted to let it go.