A coming of age story set in the urban backdrop of Orange County in the early 1990s. "Dust of Life" is a term labeled for kids who have been left abandoned on the streets. They live their lives as if life itself has already been taken away from them. The story follows a displaced juvenile named Johnny, who, as an infant, lost both of his parents to the treacherous ordeal of the Boat People Exodus. Growing up in America, Johnny quickly finds the harsh reality of assimilation when his choices are limited in his new world. His situation becomes more despairing when his relationship with the street kids around his neighborhood reveals itself as a perilous situation. As hope seem more distant than ever, through the help of a compassionate Catholic priest (Father Michael), Johnny is reminded to come to terms with his past in order to do the right thing in his present state.