"You did what?" Wendy said to Melissa, they were both having a coffee at Melissa's house.

"Voluntary toe amputation" Melissa said happily. "I had it done but only on the tips"

"That's crazy" Wendy said "Well I guess that''s why you've been wearing shoes that are 2 sizes smaller and offered me your old shoes"

"Yeah it feels great" Melissa sounded rather exited.

"But why?" Wendy took a sip of her coffee, almost struggling. "I'm surprised that people would want or allow such a thing".

"Just like you said, so I can wear smaller shoes, but also it looks and feels much cleaner." Melissa didn't seem to think she was out of her mind at all. "I just hated looking at these gross, bulbous things at the end of my toes so I had them chopped off. Now they are nubs."

"I guess you have a point" Wendy trying to make a little more sense of it. "Toenails are especially high maintenance, and you wouldn't have to worry about ingrown toenails or anything."

"Exactly."

There was a short silence.

"So" Wendy is looking around the room then back at Melissa "Could I see them?"

"Well of course"

"I mean I was just curious..."

"Its fine, they have only completely healed just recently"

Melissa took off her ballet flats. Her feet were revealed to have five stumps on each foot, each where her toes use to be. Only shortened toes remain which she can wiggle about.

"Oh my god" Wendy laughed "that's freaky."

"Yeah, I'm glad to have it done" Melissa said as she was staring down at her feet. "Maybe I should get the same procedure done on my fingertips, they're starting to annoy me as well".

"You're joking, right?"

Melissa laughed. "I was just kidding with you, of course not..."