I no longer recall the occasion, but I found myself back in 770 thirty years after the first time I was there. It was a major “event” (probably around Yud shevat) and the place was packed.
After wandering around a bit, marvelling at how so much was exactly the same after 30 years, a few young bocherim approached me and asked if I’d farbreng a bit with them. I laughed, explaining that I wasn’t a rabbi and really had nothing to share. But they insisted, saying something like “just your white beard qualifies you! Share some memories of being by the Rebbe!” When I told them that this was my 30-year anniversary of first entering 770, they became even more insistent.
So I reluctantly agreed, and sat with them for about 30 minutes, sharing what I could. They ate up every word like it was a delicacy ; I guess just hearing a few unique anecdotes of another person who had been by the Rebbe in the 80’s was very significant to them.
Someone snapped a (poor quality) photo with their cell phone and sent it to me …
(I’ve set the post date to the date of this image, but I believe the actual date was close to yed shevat in 2006 — the image date shows the correct year but definitely not the correct date )