Hole In My Life- Post 2

After reading up to the end of chapter 1 in part 2 of the book, I notice that Jack Gantos had changed. He may not have noticed it, but by this point he is becoming a pot-smoking criminal, something he earlier assured himself he would never become. While his lust for adventure and yearning to leave St. Croix can be understood, he should have taken time to think if the end truly justified the means for shipping the drugs to New York. I can't help but wonder that if present-day Gantos has ever wondered, "what if"? What if he never accepted Tim Scanlon's joint? What if he never helped Rik load the crate? What if he stayed in Fort Lauderdale? Would he still have become a criminal? Would he be the successful writer he is now, or continue to be in the depression he was in before moving to St. Croix?