Juan Diaz Quimby wants to be safe but he's currently homeless in Manhattan. He wants to be anonymous because he hates the notoriety that would come from his tiny size. He'd like to grow taller than he is, just twelve inches. He'd like to make love to Carla, a woman significantly larger than he is. He wants the things that full-sized people want--love, security, success, respect, acceptance. He can't have any of these because he's afraid to come out into the open, afraid he'll be hurt or ridiculed, become an object of pity or curiosity and not be seen as a complete human being. In order to get any of the things he wants, he will have to survive by his wits and learn whom to trust. First Carla, then his sister, finally himself.