Bryan arrived at EDL Labs about an hour after receiving the phone call from his boss. He found Dr. Thompson hunched over a computer.
"Oh, Smith!" Dr. Thompson said without looking up from his computer. "Thanks for coming in."
"It's no problem," Bryan said. "What can I do?"
His boss quickly updated Bryan on the problem. Bryan struggled with his facial expression to keep from showing his irritation as Dr. Thompson explained a minor problem that should have been easily solved.
"Can you take care of it?" Dr. Thompson asked after he finished with his explanation.
"Sure," Bryan said. He wanted to add, "Of course, any grad student could have done just as well. I sure as hell didn't need to re-arrange my schedule."
But, since he was already there, he decided to fix the problem. After all, he could spend two extra days with his nephew.
He managed to quickly solve Dr. Thompson's problem — yet again, Bryan thought to himself — and hurried to his office. He saw the package and his vial of shrinking formula on his desktop where he had left them. He took out a hundred dollar bill from his wallet and placed the bill in an envelope. He wrote Tommy's name on the envelope and sat the box atop the envelope.
Bryan closed the door to his office. He could not lock the door, or else he would prevent Tommy's access.
He improvised. Bryan removed his shoes and socks. He stashed them beneath his desk.
Bryan lifted the vial of shrinking formula. After drinking it, he quickly got onto his desktop while fully dressed.
He knew how ridiculous he must look. But, he also knew that the formula worked rapidly.
Indeed, his office seemed to expand around him. His clothes grew heavy and bulky. By the time he lost half his size, he kicked off his pants and boxers. He removed his shirt.
He continued to quickly decrease in size as he gathered up his clothing. He moved awkwardly to the edge of the desk. He dropped the pile of clothes onto the floor between his desk and chair.
It wasn't neat, but it was the best he could manage.
He turned and watched as the small shipping package began to grow. The box went from looking the size of a small shed to the size of a large home. Finally, by the time the shrinking left Bryan only a fourth of an inch tall, the box looked like a spacious warehouse.
Bryan walked toward the small entrance he had provided himself into the box. He took a final look around his enormous office. He looked at the clock on his desk. The clock looked the size of an office building. Bryan saw that Tommy should arrive in less than 20 minutes to pick up the package.
"I couldn't have timed it any better," Bryan said as he made his way deeper into the box. He found the stash of tiny clothing he had packed earlier.
••••••
Bryan had finished getting dressed in his pre-shrunken clothes when he heard a noise. "This is it!" Bryan said aloud in an excited voice.
He wished he could have seen Tommy's entrance, but he had closed the small incision in the package after he entered.
••••••
Dr. Thompson, accompanied by a younger man, entered Bryan's office. "I had hoped we might find him here," Dr. Thompson said. "I suppose he has already left on his vacation."
"I'm sure I could find somewhere else to work," the younger man said.
Dr. Thompson looked at Greg, his graduate assistant. "Nonsense! I'm sure Smith won't mind you borrowing his office in his absence."
••••••
Bryan heard voices. He could not be certain, but he thought one voice sounded familiar. "Thompson?" Bryan wondered.
Deciding he needed a look outside, Bryan started toward his exit.
He didn't get far, however, before the interior of the massive box turned upside-down.
••••••
"Clear some of this stuff from his desk and get to work," Dr. Thompson told Greg.
Greg picked up a small package. He barely glanced at the labels. "I think someone has left Dr. Smith a package," Greg said.
The 22-year-old graduate assistant never noticed the envelope that briefly clung to the bottom of the box before coming loose and falling to the floor.
Dr. Thompson turned too late to see the envelope flutter to the ground. He took the box from Greg's hand but didn't bother to read the labels.
He walked across the room and placed the box on top of Bryan's bookshelf. "There. He will find his package when he returns."
"I'll check in on you later," Dr. Thompson said before he left in haste.
Greg started to take a seat when he noticed the clothes on the floor. "Why would he leave clothes under his desk?" Greg asked.
But Dr. Thompson had already left the office. Greg gathered the clothes and walked across the room. He opened a small storage closet and stashed the clothes.
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