Clump, clump, clump, Sharon came down the stairs, clumping clumsily on her platform shoes. You could hear her a mile away, she would never have been able to become a serial killer as she could never really sneak successfully. As for being a victim, she wouldn't be able to run away either. But, if she managed to get that shoe off and hit you with it... stars and little birds would be all you would see.

Of course as we passed each other during the course of our working day it was inevitable that we would greet each other and occasionally have a quick natter in the reception or the parking lot. She wasn't really what most guys would consider a beautiful woman, she was short and pudgy and always seemed to be covered in spots. But, she did have a pretty face, a sparkling smile and long thick brown hair. She was also bright, witty and had a touch of shyness about her which seemed to cause her much embarrassment at odd moments. I never saw her provocatively dressed but she always wore frumpy clothes with those huge shoes, possibly because she was small. At least people could notice her when she was tottering down the road.

Then it all changed. One day Sharon came to work and instead of the clump clump clump there was a new sound. Click click click. At first I thought we had a visitor coming downstairs but was surprised to hear her chirpy hullo. I couldn't believe what I was seeing, Sharon had new shoes. Sleek black patent heels adorned her feet and she had sheathed her legs in sheer black nylons. Her skirt wasn't short, but it suited her figure, and a crisp white blouse completed her ensemble. Her glorious hair was neatly coiled in a chignon and she wore a pair of stern looking glasses perched on her nose. The transformation was amazing...

"Job interview?" I asked.

She smiled in her quirky manner "nah, I just felt like a change. Yesterday somebody asked if I bought my clothes in the kiddies department, so I thought I would try a new image."

"Its very nice, but somehow it isn't you."

"I know, I just doesn't feel right either."

"And I can't hear you coming downstairs anymore"

"Aha, now I can sneak up on you and practise being a serial killer."

"Oooh please don't do that, I will have to put in leave for being dead."

She laughed "well, I must go do the banking. I will sneak in the back way when I am finished."

"I will have to listen very carefully to hear you arrive, I wouldn't want you sneaking up on me and stabbing me with a roll of brown paper."

She waved absent mindedly and headed off on her banking chores while I continued working on the broken machines I was trying to repair. It was a quiet morning and thankfully Friday too so it was just a matter of passing time till hometime.

Sharon's boss came in an hour later and it was obvious that he hadn't seen the transformation in his normally frumpy secretary. He went upstairs and I could hear him opening and closing doors, then he came down again. "Have you seen Sharon this morning?"

"She passed by about an hour ago and said she was on her way to do the banking." Just then I heard a car draw up, "but that could be her coming in now."

The car door closed and Sharon came in, her hair awry, her skirt wrinkled, one shoe missing and her stockings full of holes.

"Wow Sharon, what happened??"

She greeted her boss, "You wont believe it but I was nearly mugged! the bugger snatched my bag but I managed to grab his arm and wrestled him to the ground, then he tried to hit me so I took off my shoe and whacked him on the head really hard with the heel."

Sharon had been wearing some pretty lethal heels that morning so I could imagine the damage she had caused.

"Then the cops arrived and wanted to arrest me for assault! so I told them I would whack them on the head too if they didn't bugger off."

We all laughed, "And what now?"

"Well, the one cop asked for a date and the other one tried to recruit me in the police force. That's what I get for trying to change my image."

Her boss was not impressed, "What about the banking? did you get the cheques deposited?"

Sharon handed over the cheque book "Yes, I made sure that they didn't steal that."

"Well, I think you can make a start on the invoices so long and I need you to sort out the MacFadden file."

She sighed, reached down and took off her remaining shoe, waved and went upstairs.

At lunch time her boss went out and she came back downstairs, "I have a nice surprise for him."

"How so?"

"While I was catching my breath I got talking to another woman and she mentioned that she was looking for a secretary and girl Friday. I mentioned that I was looking for another job, and she just phoned now and faxed through an offer for me to look at. I think I am going to hand in my resignation."

"You're joking?"

"Nope, that tyrant wasn't even interested in whether I was even injured or not, he wouldn't even let me go change clothes. He can take his job and well, you know, he can... er..."

I laughed, "amazing what a change of image can do."

"You are right there, and you know something, had I been the old me chances are that bugger would have bolted with my bag and would have just stood back and let him. But today I felt confident and was ready for anything!"

Sharon gave her notice and a month later went to work at her new company. She is very happy and I saw her one day when she came to collect her IRP5. I almost didn't recognise her, her newly discovered self confidence was blooming and I liked what I saw.

"Hows the new Job going?

"Wonderful, I feel like a million bucks."

"Well, you sure look like it."

"Thanks. You know, I would never have tried to change if you hadn't of joked with me about going clump clump clump down the stairs. It gave me the impetus to go out there and do something about it."

"I am sorry, I never meant to offend you with those remarks."

"Nah, I actually enjoyed them, because unlike the tyrant upstairs who treated me like some sort of half person, you at least knew I existed and I enjoyed popping down for a quick chat. I guess you did me a favour."

I never saw Sharon again after that, but I did hear she was doing very well, her old boss unfortunately never recovered from the loss of his right hand girl and I often used to see him hurrying off to do the banking. I don't suppose he would have considered a change of image, it may have done him some good too.