Nothing shy about him, Denis said he'd just turned 19, was a sophomore at a major Catholic university not far away, home for the weekend, and, in his words, was majoring in "Attention Getting."

He may register the highest grades ever recorded in that university's history!

It had been nearly a year since I'd seen him and my first words to him were, "Didn't I used to know you about 40 pounds ago?"

Keep in mind we're in a public restaurant and Denis is sporting a fish-net top shirt, pushing the envelope of acceptability to counter's edge.

"Yeah, you did!" he said with supreme cockiness.

"I'm a MAN now."

Six-feet, 2-inches. Two hundred fifty two pounds. And totally uninhibited.

Two local gendarmes kept a wary eye on Denis. But one began shaking his head and whispered something to his partner.

On the basketball court, Denis wore a pair of his college alma mater's gym shorts. Period.

Every viewable muscle on his body rippled. He was more than hot, he was on fire! And he knew it.

His college is a major Division I program but Denis is a step late and a buck short in certain required basketball skills.

And the school doesn't play varsity football. But it might be interesting if he plays intramural ball, although he says he wants to concentrate on lifting.

"I'm a pup," he said. "Come see me when I'm a great dane! Or Irishman. Whatever!"

His objectives: 270 pounds by next summer. The big 3 by the time he's a senior.

Will report on an INTENSE bench workout he's going to have at a gym near his university campus before he comes back on Christmas break.

My own take? I say he's got the genetics to go about 315-320, bench about 7, squat in the 9's and chest out at about 61-62", biceps around 24" and thighs 33-35".

Know something else? He says he's drug free and far greater minds than mine say he's telling the truth.

"I just said, 'That kid's got a BODY.' And I bench 330 pounds myself."

Too bad Denis' professors weren't around. He'd probably have his sheepskin in hand as he left the restaurant.

"I just spend the time in the weight room up at school," he said. "You can't get the props if you don't do the reps."

He and I were in the back corner, but still, some stared. And he popped a staggering 21-inch biceps that looks like an oversized shot of "Ed S." on the latest eagle's teen bodybuilding site's gallery 81.

A sharp, stunning peak and an arm that covers a bracchial-to-triceps bottom caliper measurement of 7 3/4 inches!

But the best was yet to come.

Denis, who was an excellent high school basketball player in a private boarding school -- 60 pounds ago, I'd say -- played a pick-up 1-on-1 game with a cocky guy who had played the role of chief torturer of Denis' high school team three years back.

But not only had Denis built an other-worldly upper body, with pterodactyl lats, a virtual N.F.L. linebacker's shoulders and monster pecs -- his "war-chest" was up to 55"!! -- he had buffed up his legs to big league bodybuilder status.

And the heavy squats (495 pounds for 12 reps) and other combination power-aerobic exercises produced an explosive 39" vertical leap.

Going against cocky Kyle, a 6-2, 165-pound crewcut, all-business type, Denis won the odds-or-evens finger-shoot and got first possession.

With Kyle in his face, he pounded the ball twice, rocketed upward and fire-jammed home a vicious dunk that rocked the backboard.

Winner keep, right?

He missed a regulation 3-pointer that would count as 2 in these games to 15, but when Kyle seemed in position for the rebound, Denis exploded skyward and ... ready for this??? ... STUFFED HOME THE REBOUND!!!

It was less spectacular the rest of the way, although Denis pounded home two more dunks, in winning 15-7.

Kyle resorted to cheapshots, but Denis just smiled and walked away. Thank God. He also blocked Kyle 3 times, one a spectacular pin against the banking board.

"But I'm a musclebound, zit-faced spastic!" he said with this innocent smile.

"You didn't hear ME say that!" I assured him.

Later that day, a bud of mine told me, he went one-on-one with a former college down lineman in a pick-up game of rough-touch football.

Denis only worked on the offensive plays, but the former college star never put any pressure on the quarterback all day.

Denis' team won 5 touchdowns to 3.

He's back at school, lifting, I presume. And I am sure, those huge black olympic plates are just a temporary inconvenience en route to Supermanhood.

Denis, folks, is a piece of work!

(name changed to protect the Man!) •