Rob Peck Timeline and Summary

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• The first time we see Rob, he's playing hooky from school, helping a cow give birth, and having his arm almost broken by that same cow. Yowza.
• Once he's recovered, Rob is given a piglet by his neighbor Mr. Tanner. He names her Pinky, and Rob and Pinky spend a lot of time playing. It's pretty cute.
• When school lets out for the summer, Rob is briefly tutored in English by his Aunt Matty. He survives—but barely.
• After a few more adventures, Rob is invited to go to the fair with Mr. Tanner.
• At the fair, he helps Mr. Tanner show his calves, spends ten cents on a bar of soap, and throws up all over the judge's shoes. Not the best day, but hey, Pinky wins a blue ribbon.
• The day after returning from the fair, Rob helps Papa "weasel" a terrier pup. Both the weasel and the terrier die in the encounter.
• Papa tells Rob that he thinks Pinky may be barren. And as a double whammy, Papa suspects he himself may soon die.
• Mr. Tanner brings his boar Samson over to try to breed him with Pinky.
• Although Pinky really isn't interested, Samson mates with her anyway. But Pinky still doesn't have any piglets.
• One day in December, with money getting low, Papa and Rob butcher Pinky so the family will have something to eat over the winter.
• The family makes it through the winter, but Papa dies in the spring.
• Rob, having become a man (that's a thing in the book), takes over as man of the family and sees to the funeral details.
• He says goodbye to Papa and walks away from the grave, ready to do what needs to be done to keep his family going.