It Began With A Food Fling
by The Observer

[The following tale is essentially as it happened --- names and details have been changed in deference to the parties involved.]

Roger had always been appreciative of the average largeness of the Santa Fe Distributing company's staff. There were seven ladies among the twenty employees, and varied in clothing size from perhaps eighteen to twenty eight. But that was before the food fest which began quite innocently in May of 1987.

It all began innocently enough shortly after Cheryl Thompson went to work for the firm as a file clerk. Young and tall, with long brown hair, her arrival was probably only coincidental. But the consequences of her involvement in what happened was inescapable to Roger.

John Williams, newly assigned by the Santa Fe's parent company, decided that the various department heads should have regular meetings to better co-ordinate the various branches of the firm.

It was because of this that Santa Fe's Sales manager, Bernie Phillips, decided that he would start holding a weekly sales meeting on Mondays for the five outside salesmen. Naturally, to insure attendance, he ordered an ample supply of donuts and similar pastries. The leftovers he placed in the lunchroom for the rest of the employees to enjoy.

Not to be outdone Connie Majors, the accounting manager, decided that those under her supervision should have spanish food as part of their meeting on Thursdays. The warehouse staff opted for pizza on Wednesdays. Mary Lynn Sunderland, John's secretary, decided that on Friday's the four remaining members of the office staff should cook, bake, or bring something of their own.

Roger, the computer guru who was a department unto himself with no staff, was left with Tuesday, for which he decided to supply a couple of pies each week. As with the others, any leftovers were placed in the company lunchroom for anyone to enjoy.

Of the employees Roger was perhaps the most perceptive of what effect all this extra caloric availablilty might have. But even he was surprised at what happened with Cheryl.

He had projected that everyone might gain a few pounds. But Cheryl, who had begun as the slenderest, soon emerged as the employee who was becoming most noticeably plumper. Roger quickly determined why. Working alone in the files next to the lunch room she had easy access to the leftovers, and was freely exercising her snacking privileges. He noticed that atop the filing cabinets during the mid afternoon there frequently something for her to nibble on.

After about two months the impact became noticeable. Her thighs and hips wer noticeably tighter inside her slacks and her blouse was constantly pulling out of the waist band. After the third month she simply stopped tucking it in as her belly began popping over the edge. Her arms and cheeks.seemed to be filling out as well.

In the fourth month she turned up with what appeared to be a new set of slacks, larger in size and with room to grow. By the seventh they too had become noticeably tighter and her blouses had had to be replaced. A sweetly rounded second chin was taking shape, and still she continued to contentedly munch on the available delicacies.

By Roger's estimate Cheryl had gained about three, possibly four, pounds a month and was now about as lovingly large as the average of the office ladies, around 170-180 pounds. The most anyone else appeared to have gained was perhaps ten pounds.

At year end that John Williams, happy at the result his meetings had had on the bottem line, decided to celebrate by inviting everyone to a company paid luncheon at a local buffet. Roger watch incredulously as Cheryl quite happily and publicly filled her plate three times in front of everyone --- and then had dessert!

It seemed to him as if she was trying to gain the weight that was so rapidly filling out what was by now her third set of clothes. Despite his own reservations about intra-company socializing he decided to ask her out to a formal dinner. To his surprise she did, commening that "eating good food is one of my most favorite things."

True to her word she polished off a large dinner, and then ordered dessert! "I hope you don't think I'm a pig," she said, "but after trying the skinny life out I have decided its just not for me."

"What do you mean," Roger replied.

"Until four years ago I was quite heavy," she replied, "and it never bothered me. But then I was persuaded that losing weight would mean a more active social life. So I slimmed down --- and discovered what a crock that line is! I lost weight alright --- and attracted all the wrong kind of men.

"You may have noticed I've been gaining a bit of weight this year --- its coming back easily because the cell structure was still there. But I have been happy being myself, so I hope it doesn't bother you."

"Not at all," said Roger, marvelling at her openness. "Do you have any idea how large you would like to become?"

"With my height I can easily handle 260-280," she said. "After that, I don't really know."

"Perhaps I can help you by working in good food with some other things," Roger replied, trying to be nonchalant "such as the country fair next week."

"If you would like," she said. "I've noticed you watching me these past months and wondered if you might be one of those men who likes larger women."

"Guilty as charged," he confessed, looking down at his own ample belly.

"I'm pleased, so don't worry." she said.

And so it was that two slightly portly young adults toured the fair that year, enjoying each other, the exhibits, and a variety of foods. And how, nine years later, the same two young adults, now noticeably heavier and sharing the same last name, happened to be accompanied by two definitely chubby tykes at the same fair.