Leaving the human frailties of ego and greed behind, seven selfless Marylanders answered the higher call of public service last year by running for governor of this great state.
Here's what The Magnificent Seven are doing now:
Parris N. Glendening, the former Prince George's County executive, roared to the State House with a 6,000-vote mandate after withstanding what turned out to be a rather feeble election challenge by Republican Ellen R. Sauerbrey.
In his first month, Mr. Glendening has:
1. Touted his wife as "The Wind Beneath My Wings."
2. Immediately put off for a year his campaign promise to push for stricter gun control.
3. Defended a county pension scheme that benefits him and three top aides.
As for the loser in the election, Mrs. Sauerbrey has turned into a one-woman media event.
Instead of from the stump, she touts the arch-conservative Republican line on the airwaves each night as a WBAL radio talk show hostess. And she serves as a foil to former Del. Curt Anderson on WBAL television's noon news on Saturdays.
Asked about the future, she replied, "Who knows? Four years is a lifetime in politics. I would like to think that Parris Glendening is going to do for Republicans in Maryland what Bill Clinton did for Republicans nationwide."
Of the five candidates who went down in the primary, at least three of them are sniffing around the edges of the public trough, serving the state as lobbyists and would-be lobbyists:
Former Lt. Gov. Melvin A. Steinberg, who lost in the Democratic primary, signed on with old friend Alan M. Rifkin, the managing partner of a law firm specializing in "government relations" (read: lobbying).
Mr. Steinberg is drumming up business, but he did volunteer to help his old boss, former Gov. William Donald Schaefer, who stopped talking to him just after the two men were re-elected in 1990.
"I know how to parallel park," he said, referring to Mr. Schaefer's new-found need to drive himself. "I'd give the governor lessons on how to parallel park -- pro bono."
American Joe Miedusiewski seems to have landed on his feet. The former Baltimore state senator hooked up with the law firm Semmes, Bowen & Semmes to form the Semmes Public Affairs Group, which does lobbying and public relations.
Left with a campaign debt of $20,000, Mr. Miedusiewski is planning a $100-a-head testimonial for himself March 7 at Martin's West.
He was last seen at the Baltimore City Council with one of his clients, American Sensors, telling members of the body why carbon monoxide detectors are needed in everyone's home.
Republican Helen Delich Bentley, who lost a gubernatorial primary bid to Mrs. Sauerbrey after giving up her congressional seat, is starting up Helen Bentley & Associates.
The irascible Mrs. Bentley describes her new business as "international trade and business development and government relations." Asked if that includes lobbying, she replied, "It depends on what you call lobbying. You can say I'll be opening the right doors for people."
She is off to a financially rewarding start. Governor Schaefer, before leaving office last month, saw to it that his old friend received a $75,000-a-year contract with the state, consulting on port issues.
Rounding out the list:
Unsuccessful Republican candidate William S. Shepard, the retired foreign service officer and 1990 GOP standard bearer, is also looking overseas.
Mr. Shepard has formed Shepard International Group Inc., which he describes as "international trade facilitators." He already has a couple of prospects, including a telecommunications deal in Estonia.
He has whittled his campaign debt to $12,500 through fund-raising efforts that have included a solicitation letter signed by Sen. Bob Dole.
Another Montgomery Countian, former state Sen. Mary H. Boergers, is busy raising money -- but this time not for herself.
Ms. Boergers is doing volunteer fund-raising for the county's Democratic Central Committee, which is $25,000 in the hole after the general election, and for President Clinton's re-election bid in 1996. She has not ruled out politics from her future, but in the meantime, she's considering a return to teaching, maybe on the college level.