Candy Liedhood was smiling as she walked down main street in Coxville. The South was enjoying a rather hot Indian summer that was allowing her to wear her favorite skimpier outfits. Today Candy was wearing a tan bikini top with a rhinestone peace symbol on the right cup of her bikini. She had on an open brown half vest over the top with leather bits hanging from it resembling a cowboy or Indian top. Her bottom was covered by a pink miniskirt that showed off her long luscious legs up to her brown boots that had the same leather bits hanging from them that her vest had. Big sunglasses dominated the top of her face. Her parents refused to let her wear clothing that showed off so much skin and they disapproved of the Hippie look, but since she'd turned eighteen this summer, she was wearing whatever the hell she wanted. Plus, her boyfriend, Marvin sure loved to see her bare sexy belly and when she'd switched from a one piece to a bikini this year for hitting the beach at Lake Cox, Marvin had been walking around with an erection all summer. Candy was still a virgin, but had helped Marvin get off with her hand on a few occasions.
Of course, it wasn't just Marvin that liked checking her out. No man was capable of ignoring her, the strongest willed might sneak a peek while the blatant ones, stared and winked or hit on her. Walking down main street was no exception. Male classmates from her graduating class saw her or whistled at her outfit, their fathers did double takes when they saw her. Old timers gave her disapproving looks, but they still stared. Flattering, considering the large number of attractive women that lived in this county. The sheriff saw her, eyes sweeping up and down her body, then he caught her eye and nodded a greeting. He turned his attention back to city hall where a crowd was gathered around the oak tree.
At first, Candy just thought the line for voting was huge. Half her senior class was here after all, this being the first presidential election where eighteen-year old's could vote. Then Candy noticed a black man was swinging from the old oak tree or more specifically doing pull ups. The man jumped down, leaned down and picked up a Vote McGovern sign. There were boos and catcalls from the crowd. "That's why niggers shouldn't be allowed to vote," yelled an anonymous voice from the crowd. Next to Candy, the sheriff chuckled. The black man was scary looking. He wore green camouflage fatigues, a white tank top with a black fist in the center and a black beret. He wasn't massively built, but every muscle on his wiry body was well defined. Under the beret, his head appeared shaved military style and his face sported a dark black long, droopy mustache. He appeared to be about ten years older than her.
Candy wasn't sure where to go, but she saw a line of people standing at the entrance to city hall and headed that way to join them. She didn't quite understand the abject racism in this town. As of last year, blacks had been integrated into Coxville High from Freetown or as blacks called it "The Westside" or as older white folks called it, "Niggertown". They weren't so bad. The blacks kept to themselves mostly, sitting together in class or at lunch. Most seemed eager to learn and one, Wilbur West joined the football team and won the Cocks a few games, then he joined the basketball team, and then the baseball team. A few of her white classmates grudgingly began to show this super athlete their respect. Candy hadn't spoken to any blacks, but for a few words to a couple of the girl classmates. They seemed nice enough.
As Candy walked towards the voting line, she met the gaze of the black man. She flashed him the peace sign, a secret symbol that she too planned on voting McGovern. The black man nodded and then like all men, his eyes roamed down to her DD bosom and then to her sexy flat belly and finally to her bare legs. Candy gasped at his boldness. He walked towards her and she started to tremble, but all he did was get in line behind her. The line moved forwards. Nearby was a small table for the Democrats and a few supporters including another black man. The Republican table was bigger and had a lot more citizens standing around it. This was a Nixon county. There was even a buxom black woman passing out Nixon fliers. They were the only three black people in sight.
Candy moved into city hall as the line moved towards the voting booths. Seniors manned the tables leading up to the voting booths. They stared disapprovingly at her outfit. Finally, it was time to enter her booth and vote for the first time. A friend of her fathers was manning the booth and showed her how to vote before leaving her alone behind the curtain. Candy looked down the list of names, pressed the button for Mcgovern. Councilman Smith was running for Mayor and her parents were active supporters, but she voted against the old bigot. Candy ran down the list of other candidates, made her choices, and proudly left the voting booth, running right into the militant black man or more specifically his hands.
The black man had been arguing with a poll worker about something and had his hands up before his chest as he gestured. Candy had exited the booth so quickly, she'd run right into him. Her breasts pushed hard against his palms and his hands inadvertently squeezed them hard enough that her tit flesh pushed out between his fingers. Her eyes widened in fright and looked deep into his dark ones. He looked just as shocked as she did. She heard gasps from the crowd around her. It felt like minutes, but was probably only a few seconds before he withdrew his hands just as she took a step backwards from him.
"That nigger just grabbed the Leidhood girl's breasts!" gasped someone in the crowd.
"Oh my god," moaned Candy, turning to flee. "I'm so embarrassed." Candy raced for the door.
"Someone get the sheriff."
"Sorry Miss," yelled the black man as Candy disappeared outside.
"Get your black ass over here, nigger," growled the poll worker friend of Candy's parents. He placed one hand on Willy's shoulder and pulled roughly.
Willy Long had been back from Vietnam for less than a year. His marine combat training took over and with one swift maneuver, his arms were around the poll worker's neck, pulling the man forward as he somersaulted and landed hard on his back. The stunned man stared upwards at the roof in surprise.
Candy ran for her car, people shouting for the sheriff behind her. The sheriff was walking, then jogging, then running towards the polling place. A crowd was gathering behind her. Candy had never been so embarrassed in her life. Some of her friends had seen her! From here on out, she'd be the white girl that got felt up by the black man in city hall. By the time Candy made it to her parent's Chevy a block away, she could hear a much louder commotion behind her.
Candy pulled the car away from the curb and turned it toward city hall. The peaceful crowd had rapidly degenerated into a mob scene. The black man who'd been campaigning for McGovern was crouched down holding his hands above his head defensively as three white men rained punches down on him. One of the men she recognized as her classmate, a boy she had dated twice as a freshman. Jesus, she wondered, did I cause this? Candy rapidly turned the car around the circle. The black woman that had been passing out Nixon fliers, burst out of a crowd. Her top had been ripped off, her large bared Cox County DD bosom heaved up and down as she ran for her life with a look of abject terror on her face. A crowd of angry whites pursued her and quickly brought her down. More blows fell.
Candy reached the stop sign, but was too scared to stop. She coasted through it and turned right. The black man who had touched her breasts appeared running down the sidewalk, pursued by the mob. He'd lost his beret and had a cut on his forehead, bleeding down on his face. A young white man caught up to the black man, but the black man swiftly spun around and brought the heel of his boot down hard on the white's knee. The white man screamed in pain and fell. Without thinking, Candy yelled through the open window, "Get in." The black man didn't even stop to open the door. He jumped, his feet flying through the window and he smoothly slid into the seat next to her. Candy hit the gas and the car sped off, leaving the crazed mob and Coxville behind her.
"Thanks," grunted the black man.
"Oh my god. This is horrible. What do we do? Did we cause this? It was an accident for Christ's sake!"
"Relax girl. This ain't the first angry mob this town has seen and it won't be the last. Name's Long, Willie Long by the way."
"Candace Leidhood, but everyone calls me Candy."
"Nice to meet you Candy. By any chance would you have some tissues?"
Candy glanced over at the blood trickling down Willie's face. "In the glove box."
Willie opened the glove box and removed a box of tissues, using them to wipe the blood off his face. "That thing work?" he asked, pointing at a CB, her dad had installed.
"I guess, I don't use it," she replied. "Where should we go anyway?"
"Head towards the lake. You can drop me off there." Willie leaned down and turned on the CB, adjusting the station. "Breaker One nine, this is Long Dong, Black Mamba do you copy? Kielbasa you out there?"
"This is Black Mamba, I copy you Long Dong." squelched a voice through the CB speaker.
"Got me into some trouble back at city hall. You monitoring Smokey?"
"Sure am Long Dong. Smokey has an APB out for ya, offensive touching, inciting a riot, assault and battery, assaulting a police officer and I hope it was the sheriff."
