That Was Then, This Is Now

Early the next morning, Bryon goes to work despite having a hangover. He makes a few mistakes but manages not to lose his job. Returning home, he finds Mark waiting for him, ready to check on M&M. On the way, they argue about Cathy and nearly get into a fight, but Mark apologizes.

Following Mark’s directions, Bryon drives to a rundown part of town with large houses. They stop at a house with a sign reading “Love” on the front porch. Mark leads Bryon inside, where a young woman on a couch who is high greets Mark as “Cat.” In an upstairs bedroom, they find a group of people sitting in a circle and discussing a book. One of them tells Mark that M&M, whom he refers to as “Baby Freak,” is not around. When Bryon reprimands them for letting M&M take drugs, a woman suggests that nobody in that house has to let anyone else do anything; instead, they are simply “free.” Bryon wonders what it means to be truly free.

On their way back home, Bryon is puzzled to hear Mark, who doesn’t smoke cannabis, come to the “hippies’” defense.

Bryon picks up Cathy after her work at the hospital, and the two go for a ride.