Relying on the Kindness of Strangers

RELYING ON THE KINDNESS OF STRANGERS - AN ARMY BRAT'S STORYWhen cancer robs her of her only involved parent, ten-year-old Lyla, is faced with having to choose between living the rest of her teenage years out on the elephant-riddled, dead-end dirt roads of Hluhluwe, or move across the country to live with her ex-special forces, estranged father - in a posh part of Pretoria. Recounting events that were a direct result of being abandoned by her father at fifteen, Lyla reflects on the harsh, dangerous situations that vulnerable, neglected children have to fight through, and which often haunt them as adults. With the bruises her step-mom left on her 15-year-old body fading, she chooses to embrace being parentless. Fueled by her newfound freedom and curiosity of the unknown, she moves around South Africa with a suitcase and her guitar, relying on strangers, bringing music into their homes in exchange for room and board - the only currency she can offer. Changing schools seven times, she has a surplus of people coming in and out of her life willing to be temporary moms and dads to her - the Spirit of Ubuntu personified. In an attempt to honor the selfless acts of the tribe that raised her, as well as silence her father's ever-present, discouraging voice in her head, she finds her way from working as a Wimpy waitress to working as a radio producer for some of the country's most celebrated radio and television personalities - Jeremy Mansfield amongst others. She finds her way from being forbidden to take music as a subject in school, to performing the anthem of her country on a world stage for The Springboks and in celebration of Nelson Mandela's 100th birthday. She finds herself waving Africa goodbye to call Manhattan, New York City her home. At 26, Lyla comes across as seemingly content - almost in love - with the cards life dealt her, but with chapter titles such as "Whatever helps you sleep at night" and "Don't rock stars die at 27?", Lyla hints at her fears of possibly meeting a similar fate as so many of her Hollywood-peers and heroes, should she continue down this glitz-and-glamour road she's been granted access to as an artist. She faces the world orphaned but is treated as "part of the family" wherever she lays her head. A saving grace. But will the kindness of strangers be enough to fill the void left by her unfortunate childhood?