This is the story of a dreamer, 'an average man', singled out by fate for an uncertain life. Jailed for 18 years under apartheid for unspecified sins, he emerges into a world that has no place for him. His fluctuating fortunes land him on the unpredictable, bitter-winter streets of Johannesburg, where 'harmlessness' is an 'unfortunate trait' but tempestuous skylines offer space to breathe. A trumpet and an indigent dog are his accomplices in survival.