“Squish him and get on with your life.”
“Throw him in the trash.”
“Let me give him to my dog!”

The voices filled the air.

“No. I think I’ll keep him around a while. He’s cute.” Was the unexpected response. “I mean just look at him down there. Could you girls imagine being only 7 inches tall?”

“Oh don’t be so sappy. He earned his size just like we earned ours.” One of the former voices spat.

The 5 8ft tall women formed a loose circle around the topic of discussion. One of Vilecio’s first results of their new performance plan. Promotions had existed for years, but demotions were a recently implemented tool in the company’s arsenal. All things to developments made in recent years.

“So, like, what do we do with him?” the ‘sappy’ woman stared down at the brown-haired man in the middle of the circle. His skinny body nude for all the world to see. He visibly shivered, though she was sure if it was from fear or the office’s frigid air-conditioning.

“I told you gals my thoughts.” One woman replied as she lifted her heeled foot over the tiny man before pulling it back.

“We’re not going to squish him.” Another woman interrupted, “That’ll be a stain we could never get out.”

Trembling on the floor between the 5 pairs of feet, the tiny man could only listen powerlessly as the women joked about his fate. He was the first of many, but still an initial beta test. These were women who hadn’t worked with him. Had no reason to like or hate him. As far as they were concerned, he was a new company item to decide how to use. His eyes travelled around the circle.

Those promoted within Vilecio were intimidating enough when he was at his normal 6ft 3in. Now, however, it was like being on a completely different planet. His eyes settled on one of the women’s feet. The appendages were clad in a pair of brown leather flats. He watched as the tan skin flexed and wrinkled with movement as the woman talked.

“Oh my god. I think he’s staring at Regina’s feet.” One of the women exclaimed. The talking and joking stopped as all 10 eyes focused on the centerpiece of their conversation.

The miniature male felt himself grow red. He stared up to the sky and tried to scream. “NO! It’s not like that! Where else am I going to look!? You’re surrounding me!” His voice emitted as a high pitch squeak, indistinguishable to his audience.  

“What’s he saying?” One of the women asked, her eyebrow raised in confusion as the squeaks were inderscenable to her and the others.

“No idea.” Another woman answered back and added “I wish they’d give us a microphone or something so that we can talk to these runts.”

“Looks like he’s mad. Whatever it is.” Regina answered.

“He obviously wants to get closer to your feet. Duh!” one of the others shot back. Thunderous laughter.

“NO! Please! That’s not what I was saying at all!” The tiny man tried to get his words heard, but it was no use.

“Well, if he insists.” Regina spoke up and slowly slid her feet from her flats. Her long toes flexed and fanned-out in the cool air.

“Your paint is looking a bit rough.” One of the women added.

“I know.” Regina stared at her toes, chipped green paint covered random parts of her nails. “I haven’t had a chance to schedule a pedi.” She added before turning her attention to the little man below.

The small man could only watch in horror as Regina’s bare feet greeted him on her side of the circle.

“Hey little guy.” Regina wiggled her toes up and down. “They’re waving for you to come closer.” She coo’d.

“Oh my god.” One of Regina’s cohorts nearly doubled over in laughter as tears streamed down her face.

“Please tell me those are clean.” An additional voice chimed in.

“Oh absolutely. However, I did walk the half mile to work today since the weather is so nice.” Regina answered with her eyes focused on the little man as her toes continued to ‘wave’.

“Good on you! I was too lazy and took an uber.” Replied one of the quintet.

“See, little guy! You picked a winner!” more teasing from above.

His body trembled with humiliation; the little man felt himself grow dizzy. He stared up to Regina, hoping he could communicate something in his eyes.

“I think sparks are flying!” A member of the group teased. “Maybe he should give Regina a kiss!”

“I don’t think I could bend that low, girls.” Regina broke her gaze from the small man and laughed.

“Well. Your toes are right there.” Another woman replied and then the group grew silent and pondered the implications.

“You know, girls. We are one of the focus groups for this program. We could shape the policy and procedures of this company for years to come.” One of the five broke the silence.

“What are you saying?” Regina asked, her toes still wiggling.

“Well. Let’s say we find a use for the demoted. For example, as Irene said, little guy here is perfectly toe height. Maybe he learns to use a brush and file. Or maybe shoe polish. Perhaps he and his little friends could fill a drink…” The former woman replied.

“That would save me so much time on money.” Regina replied staring at her chipped toes.

All the women stared intently at the little man as they worked out his future. An hour later with a quick trip to the drug-store a block away. The women all huddled in Regina’s cubicle.

“Broader strokes!” “Put your back into it.” “Really clean under those nails.” The women all offered their input as they watched the demotee work on the floor at Regina’s feet.

The little man sweated as he learned how to give the perfect pedicure. He struggled to hold the oversized tools as his body grew more tired and sore.

“How about taking a handful of the exfoliant and getting between each toe?” One girl suggested.

Slowly, the time tricked by. The group remained Regina’s cubicle as the tiny man toiled. They paused for lunch.

“What about food?” One of the girls asked as she bit into a fresh turkey sandwich.

“Whatchu mean?” Another asked, her mouth full.

“Well, they may be small, but I assume they still need to eat.” The turkey sandwich chewer replied.

“Lemme ask.” Regina spoke up, seated in hear chair as her feet were carefully held in place on a shoebox. “You hungry little guy.”

“Oh please. Anything.” The little man replied, nodding his head furiously and rubbing his stomach to get his point across.

Squeaks filled the air, but the point was made by his actions.

“I think that answers our question.” REgina leaned back into her chair satisfied with herself.

“What do we feed them?” one quintet member piped up after a small second of silence.

“Anything we want to.” Regina answered back, a smug smile on her face.

This led to the tiny man getting fed his lunch in the presence of Regina’s feet. Random bread crust, tomatoes, pickles, and a jalapeno chip were fed to him like a living trash can.

Lunch eventually ended and thus continued the focus group’s ‘training’ of the demotee.

By 5PM, the office began to empty out and the little man was nearing the end of his task. Regina’s chipped paint and dry soles were sooned transformed with a smooth coat of pink paint and silky-smooth skin.

The girls all stared in awe at the results.

Claps erupted from the cubicle as the little man struggled to remain standing.

“Not the fastest thing in the world.” One of them quipped.

“This will improve once more demotees are presented.” Regina answered back.  “Now. One final question.” She stood up from her chair to stretch her legs. “Who wants to take him home?”

The air filled with squeals and “me’s” until they heard the sound of the janitor’s cart.

The women all looked at each other with a mischievous grin.

“Estella…” Regina beckoned over the cleaning lady…

The following weeks saw the introduction of more demotees. The focus group got to refine its training and suggestions to hr. Small men and women soon scurried under the larger coworker’s feet attending to tasks and orders delegated form above.

Regina sat sipping a coffee as a pair of blondes worked on her newest pedicure. She was pulled from her thoughts as a woman from HR approached.

“Regina!” the woman waved.

“Veronica!” Regina waved back and watched as Veronica approached, a 5ft 6in blonde girl in tow.

Regina remained seated, “Oh. Sorry. I would stand, but…” and motioned to the two small women toiling at her toes.

Veronica laughed. “I was wondering where they sent these two!” as she and Regina laughed, she continued “I’d like to introduce Brittany Dunham. Your newest employee.”

“Hi Brittany.” Regina extended her large hand which easily enveloped Brittany’s smaller appendage, “Hello.” Brittany replied shyly.

Regina smiled. “Oh dear. We’re going to have to work that shyness out of you or you may wind up like these two here.” Regina wiggled her toes, knocking over the two women working on them. “We wouldn’t want that would we.”

Brittany smiled and replied quietly. “No. We wouldn’t…”