The novel is set in Tulsa, Oklahoma in the 1960s. Mark and Byron having been living together as brothers since the death of Mark's parents. The two often spend time hanging out at the local bar and playing pool to earn money. The novel begins with Byron's mother in the hospital getting surgery, which causes financial stress for the family. The boys are forced to look for jobs, but do not have much success. Byron asks the bartender, Charlie, for a job but is refused because he is underage. Meanwhile, the financial strife at home grows worse and Bryon's mother is hospitalized again. Mark soon begins bringing in suspicious amounts of money at home, but does not tell Byron where the money is coming from.
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