Little Left Toe is a modern folk-parable for narrating guitarist. Composed for Lynn McGrath as a companion work for Castelnuevo-Tedesco’s Platero y Yo, the work tells the following story:

Little Left Toe has an ingrown-nail that becomes so infected that he has to have his entire rest-of-guy amputated. After the procedure (where the rest-of-guy falls over with a scream and a thump into a huge bed-pan), Little Left Toe finds himself on a waiting list for an experimental rest-of-guy transplant (there is only a 12% chance of survival). He spends his time in the hospital with a bandage around his head getting spongebaths, waiting for a new rest-of-guy, and going to rest-of-guyendectomy support group meetings.

The day finally arrives where a compatible rest-of-guy is flown to the hospital. The doctor explains to Little Left Toe the procedure for reattachment: “My colleagues and I will reattach the rest-of-guy to you with this spackle and this twine. In transplant cases, it is not unusual for a toe to take on some of the characteristics of the original donors of the rest-of-guys.” And with that, they tackle and gas Little Left Toe who, during the course of the operation, has a dream where he is a thumb with the responsibility of tying a shoe, horribly cramping all the Toes of his former world.

When he wakes up rather groggy and immediately vomits out the ether he was given, Little Left Toe finds that he has been placed where the Big Right Toe used to be. “NOOOOOOOO!”

Sadly, his body rejects the new rest-of-guy which is turning blue and dragging behind him. Little Left Toe lumbers onward sad, dejected, and ashamed of his outward appearance. He applies for a new rest-of-guy, but finds he will have to wait at least four years for a donor. Without faith in science or religion, Little Left Toe walks forth with his disgusting growth dragging behind him regretting that he ever wanted to be a complete man.