The first time that I met Pete Seeger

https://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/22/nyregion/22seeger.html

https://www.riverpool.org/pete-toshi-seeger-river-front-park/

I grew up across the river from Beacon, NY, the home of Pete Seeger.
When I was young and fab in the early 90's, I felt convicted to run for local office.
A friend from across the river was running for Mayor in Beacon, and we agreed to meet at the anti-war protest at the corner of 9 and 9D in Wappinger's Falls, near the mall and galleria that weekend.
That weekend came, and it was pouring a cold, sleet like rain hard down upon the Hudson Valley.
I wanted to cuddle up and avoid it all, but I somehow convinced myself to go out to the protest.
There were four people there when I arrived, and I knew two of them - my political buddies Joel (D) and Dan (G). There was also an elderly couple wearing shrimping bibs and parkas, sitting on a cooler.
I stayed for two hours, from ten to noon. It was freezing.
I spent the entire time talking to my buddy Dan about my political race.
When it was time for us to go I had compassion for the elderly couple. I went over to the lady who was sitting on the cooler and asked her if she would like help bringing the cooler to her car. Her husband had his back to me and was talking to Joel.
I must have caught Toshi, Pete Seeger's wife, offgaurd when I asked her if I could help her with her cooler. She looked up at me with the most terrified look I have ever seen on another human. She was a war protester, a civil rights activist. She was familiar with being attacked at protests and for some reason, she reacted to me as if I was a nazi about to sucker punch her.
Toshi, somewhat embarrassed by her reaction, thanked me and told me that they didn't need my help.
Joel noticed the disturbance and introduced me to Toshi and Pete. I had been there with Pete Seeger the whole time and didn't know it.