That was Then, This is now I read the book "That was then, This is now." The main character is Bryon. He is an average guy that likes girls. His girlfriend is Cathy. She has a little brother who is twelve. His nickname is M&M because he always eats them. Bryon's best friend is Mark. Mark lives with Bryon and Bryon's mom. Mark's parents always fought. His dad killed his mom then killed himself.
Mark is a person who dose not follow the laws. He steals things like candy and things at the drugstore. He hotwires cars and keeps them. He always beats people up and threatens them.
Bryon and Mark always go to the bar to play pool. They have to watch out for cops because they are not old enough to be there. When there are not a lot of people there, they usually talk and hang out.
Bryon usually owes a tab. About three dollars.
Mark and Bryon were in the bar playing pool for money one day. They made quite a bit of money. They were playing two people for Texas. When they were finished, they left. The Texans made Bryon and Mark go into the back alley. One guy pulled out a gun and the other put on a set of brass knuckles. Charlie came out of the bar with a shotgun and ordered the Texans to put their gun down. Charlie had Bryon and Mark come over to him. They started talking. One of the Texans jumped for the gun and shot it. Charlie pushed Mark and Bryon down. Mark got Charlie's gun and shot for the one who shot the gun. He missed. Bryon and Mark both got up but Charlie didn't. They look at him and he had a hole in his head were his eye was. Charlie was dead.
A few days later, M&M ran away. He was sick of his father always telling him what to do and expecting him to be perfect. No one knew where he went. Mark figured out M&M was at the hippie house. Mark, Cathy, and Bryon went there. He was taking drugs. He was pale and curled up in a ball in the corner. They called his dad and told him they would meet him at the hospital. When they got there, the doctor said he would never be the same.
When Bryon got home, he wanted a cigarette. He looked in Mark's stash under his bed and found a bottle of pills. It was drugs he had been selling at the hippie house. Bryon called the cops. When Mark got home Bryon told him he called the cops. Mark was taken away a few minutes later.
At the jail, Bryon was un-able to see Mark. He was causing too much trouble. After a couple of weeks they let Bryon see him as a last ditch effort to try to calm him down. It did not work. Mark was moved to the State prison.
After all this happened, Cathy and Bryon broke up. He was getting straight A's and looking foreword for school. Bryon's life did not turn out that great.