OH MAN. TLOU is like--it starts out around modern day and then flashes forward to twenty years later, so it's been going on for ages. And the infection hasn't gone away, either; it's more like people've learned to cope with it and survive. There's martial law going on and it's hard to get anything or anywhere, so Joel's a smuggler for weapons and supplies, but mostly the former.
And he has way too many enemies on his back from that, if his reputation's accomplished anything.
I'm good with starting from the beginning with them first meeting, no worries! What do you think he'd be doing as an adult? Just... roaming?
And yo, I'll look for it in the bookstore when I have the chance. I love a good apocalyptic scene.