Excerpt from "Promises Kept" Kirk McElroy had just had the worst day of his young life. He didn't know how his day had taken such a dramatic turn for the worst. In just three short hours, his life had been turned upside down. His parents stood before him, conversing with the police officers over what his punishment would be. Kirk had never seen them so aimlessly lost; they had looks upon their faces that suggested that they had given up all admirable hope for their frequently- delinquent son. In this year alone, Kirk had been involved in several misdemeanors, which he had gotten away with, being only sixteen. His parents had pleaded with him not to get into any more trouble, but what did he do? He decided to break into a liquor store, get drunk, and go on a police chase with his best friend, Wesley Forster, who was two years older than him, and would probably get some jail time, since he was old enough to be prosecuted.