Tears of a Tiger

Content Warning: The Chapter Summaries & Analyses discuss teenage mental health, teen suicide, grief, and racism.

This newspaper article, dated November 8, describes a car crash that killed one teenager, Robbie Washington, and injured three others—Andy Jackson, B.J. Carson, and Tyrone Mills. While Andy, B.J., and Tyrone escaped the car, the wreckage trapped Robert and left him unable to escape before the engine exploded.

The night before the crash, Robbie, Andy, and a fellow teammate of theirs, Gerald, hold a conversation. The three boys discuss the game, how Robbie scored 27 points while Andy only scored 6, and their plans to celebrate the win after the game. Andy, Robbie, B.J., and Tyrone are planning to go out drinking and then spend time with their significant others, while Gerald plans to head home.

Keisha, Andy’s girlfriend, calls her friend Rhonda to ask if she knows where the boys are, as Andy is late for their get-together. When Rhonda doesn’t know, Keisha calls Gerald, who tells her that Andy plans to head her way after dropping off Robbie, B.J., and Tyrone at home. A few more phone calls confirm that there was an accident, and that Robbie has died. Tyrone and B.