"Great news, Bin-yah-min,” Amanda chirped, as he slipped into the lobby.

A wave of steam hit him on the temples.

“I have something you’ll want to see,” Amanda continued. “Just follow me now.”

I need to drink, to speak with the president, to clean up the room, he thought feverishly. But he followed her down the hall like a puppy dog.

She stopped in front of the bulletin board in the lounge and tapped it with a blue-painted fingernail. Visiting pianist on Tuesday — submit your song requests!

Jewelry-making class Thursday afternoon — make a gift for a loved one!

“Here,” Amanda rapped on the daily schedule poster.

Binyamin stared. Sandwiched between lunch and napping and afternoon activities was

Learning session in the lounge: 1 p.m. to 1:20 p.m.

“I… whoa. Thanks,” he stammered. Wow. When he had approached her about arranging a learning session, she’d been full of excuses. He’d tried his best persuasive techniques, but she hadn’t budged.

Amanda beamed. “Aren’t you going to ask why I changed my mind?”

Binyamin ran his hand over his short beard. How long would this conversation have to last? “Um, yes. Why did you change your mind?”

“Weeeell,” she sang, “when you mentioned it, I thought it may be a nice idea for our residents, this learning thing. But they already have a full schedule and this is new stuff and you know me, I don’t like to rock the boat.” She laughed. “But then, I was reading my daily horoscope this morning and what does it say? You need to branch out at work today, and make your mark. To me, that’s telling me in no uncertain terms that there is something spiritually important I need to accomplish here today. Instantly, I thought of you guys.”

Thank goodness for horoscopes.

“Well,” Amanda continued, “so I did this for you, and you’ll have everyone in one place. Hopefully, it will work out! Now you owe me one.” She winked and started off toward the lobby.

Slightly dazed, Binyamin headed toward the spacious room that housed his kollel. Even before he entered he could smell the coffee — which meant the room was probably full. He walked in and straight up front.

“Rabbosai.” He clapped his hands. “There’s something you need to hear about. Nothing less than a revolution in the making, and I’m thinking you want to hear about it.”

“Revolution,” Tzvi echoed.

“There are a couple of revolutions I’m working on myself,” Eisner said, untying his scarf. He was one guy who shamelessly did the winter thing — coat, scarf, gloves. But he was listening.

“Today at one,” Binyamin went on, “they’ve scheduled a learning session for us and the residents.” He paused. Mimi would tell him to get passionate, tell them about how Torah transcends the generation gap, uniting the young with the old. But that wouldn’t quite fly. “You all know what that could mean for these men. Please, guys. Let’s do it.”    

(Excerpted from Family First, Issue 587)