Since his mother remarried, Johnnie had got used to looking out for himself, and to steering clear of his stepfather, Big Joe. In the isolation of his deafness he had some unexpected allies. There was Dessie, herself the product of a broken home; Maggie, the social worker; and the stranger who encouraged Johnnie's extraordinary artistic talent. But none of them were there the night Big Joe had been drinking.So Johnnie left home. His journey to find his real father took him right across the country, in search of a face he only dimly remembered. But its ending was unlike anything Johnnie had ever imagined.