earlier
The big boys are the same and you can get them on the way to your house or to the good old place, like they're just hanging out and being cool.
Earlier, I saw the big boys on the way to the park, and they were being cool.
Earlier, I walked past the big boys and they said hi, like they knew me.
Earlier, I met the big boys and they were just hanging out, like they had nothing better to do.