Sure he hung out with two dangerous characters that he thought of as cool, but he talks as though he thought he himself was bad but really not at all. He speaks of being bad like it's cool but then realizes it really isn't. For example on page 114 he says, "I kept it there because bad characters always keep tire irons under the driver's seat, for just such an occasion as this." If taken the way I see it, you see it as he wanted to be bad and he does what bad people do to look it. In a way he refers to it as an allusion or a dream he wanted to be but really knowing he wasn't there. After some of his actions he has second thoughts, like going to jail, or even actually hurting someone. Then he realizes what bad is.
The narrator also has many different character traits. He is a very passive type of guy. He went along with everything his friends did. For example after the fight when they started rapping the girl he followed along with it. He did not even try to stop his friends. He was always down to drink, smoke or stay out till dawn. He was the kind of guy that most likely drove his parent's car for everyone because he couldn't really say no, and he wanted to be with all of his friends. He smokes pot with his friend's drinks with them and has fun. Is this the real lifestyle for his type of personality? I don't think he really belongs with these kids they call "bad". I feel he is one bright individual. We know this by all of his references to history, art, literature, or film. Most kids that smoke, drink and party have lost most memory of such, but not this narrator. He views many things different as that of his friends. He was always looking deeper into thought then they. He makes reference to a Swedish film, and art from the 17th century. (114) Most bad type did not have a clue what these were. When reading about this kid I am reminded of an old high school friend Aaron.
