chapter 18

While Amanda Frazek was transforming herself from the lithe, lean "Golden Girl" of DePaul University Hospital into the corpulent cardiologist of bio-genetic research, Hilda Pzybylski was undergoing a transformation of her own, and in an entirely DIFFERENT direction.

Hilda had been raised to believe that the only thing that counted in this world was competence. That's why she worked and studied devoted herself to her career. But when you spend all your time doing research on food, trying to make specialized diets both attractive and tasty, well you didn't have a whole lot of time to devote to your own personal appearance. That's how the former star cross-country runner of Lyons Township High School became dumpy old Hilda Pzybylski. It's why Max Braverman constantly stared at Amanda Frazek and totally ignored Hilda.

Well, thanks to all her research in food and the human metabolism, Hilda had managed to turn Amanda Frazek from a "Golden Girl" into a bulky blob. Even better, by turning Amanda into a rotund lab rat instead of a scintillating surgeon, she saw to it that the only man who'd even give her a second look was some weirdo loser who working in the kitchen.

In the meantime, she realized that her job was only half done. If she was to grab Max's attention, she was going to have to become something of a golden girl herself. That's why every waking hour she wasn't working to become chief dietician at DePaul, she spent in the DePaul faculty gym. She ran circles around the indoor track, lifted weights, started a yoga class and even signed up for Pilates. She was bound and determined that she was going to become lithe and lean enough to capture even Max Braverman's attention.

While the pounds didn't exactly melt away, over six months she lost a total of forty-five pounds, dieting and exercising herself down to a lean, mean one hundred twenty pounds. She took a class on make-up, paid attention to all the fashion trends and dressed accordingly and she kept up a furious program of diet and exercise.

The magic that brought Hilda and Max together had nothing to do with diet and exercise. It was propinquity. While her self-improvement program didn't exactly stimulate much out of Max, her superiors in the Nutrition Department at DePaul noticed both her efforts on the job and the vast improvement in her outward appearance. And so it was that Hilda Pzybylski was named Chief Nutritionist at DePaul University Hospital. And as Chief Nutritionist, she worked hand and glove with the head chef, who just happened to be Max Braverman.

Thing is, Max wasn't nearly as intimidated by Hilda as he had been with Amanda. Sure Hilda had transformed herself into a real beauty and her status at DePaul was certainly on the rise. But, after all, she was still "Good Old Hilda", a much improved Hilda but Hilda nonetheless. Which is why one day as they were devising a new low sodium menu for the cardiology patients, Max asked Hilda out on a date.

All seemed to be going Hilda's way. She looked spectacular. She was now something of a big shot at the hospital. And she was dating Max. But she wasn't happy! And why? Well, it seems that Max had more than a bit of a roving eye. It seemed no matter how GOOD Hilda looked, in Max's eye there was always somebody just a bit better, just a bit thinner, just a smidge leaner. Hilda just couldn't be good enough. Which is why, after three months of semi-serious dating, Hilda broke up with Max.

So there she was, trim, fit with a big important job and Hilda was all alone. In the meantime, that big bloated blob of a woman who had been such a thorn in her side was fat and happy with a man she adored. Granted, he was a bit of a loser but strange as it might seem, even weirdo losers have a way of finding their way in the world. And that's what was about to happen with Mike Dombrowski!