Pilot project

Evan had worked at Big Valley Ranch for years, and everybody there knew exactly what kind of man he was: stiff as a fence post, always cracking jokes no one laughed at, and constantly making inappropriate comments toward both the guys and the girls on staff. He walked around like he owned the place — and like no one could ever call him out.

Then the ranch got bought by an international conglomerate. Along with the paperwork came new rules, stricter oversight, and an HR department that didn’t play around. Evan got the message straight: either he fixed his behavior fast, or he’d be out on his ear.

The alternative they offered sounded like a prank — “a pilot program to teach empathy by walking a mile in the shoes of the people he’d mistreated the most.” Evan laughed in their faces. Absolutely not. But then he saw the stack of complaints, the threat of termination, the pay deduction… and suddenly he wasn’t laughing anymore.

What he didn’t realize was that the program was literal. And in his case, “walking a mile in someone else’s shoes” meant a whole new body, a whole new wardrobe, and a whole new reality. Which is how Evan found himself in a denim mini skirt, an off-shoulder top, and a pair of tall embroidered boots he would’ve mocked someone for wearing — loudly.

Now there he was, hands on his hips, the Texas sun glinting off his oversized belt buckle, trying to look confident while balancing on boots that clicked louder than his old attitude ever did. If the universe had a sense of humor, it was definitely having a field day with him.

The good part? Well… at least he finally learned how to match his outfit with his footwear.

The bad part? That “mile” he had to walk wasn’t symbolic.
And it sure as hell wasn’t going to be just one.