Gravel
Soldiers

Gravel Soldiers is a memoir that follows the author as he navigates his youth in St. Paul, Nebraska, navigating the streets and the echoes of history. The story is a vivid coming-of-age odyssey, brimming with the energy of youth. Terry’s journey spans human experience, from fast cars and reckless behavior to relationships filled with pain and betrayal. The story takes daring detours, leading readers through biker escapades and encounters with the law.

At its core, Gravel Soldiers is a tale of finding love, a genuine, soul-deep kind that illuminates life’s dark corners. Through his journey, Terry discovers the power to heal and transform, ultimately leading him to the shores of redemption.

Pedo, the central character of “The Headhunter’s Granddaughter”, grew up deep in the jungles of Borneo, Malaysia. Her parents gave her away to her father’s brother, a cruel man who used her for child labor, tapping rubber trees to make money. Her parents had too many mouths to feed, twelve children in all. Pedo wouldn’t be missed.

Her grandfather, the “Headhunter”, cared for her by recruiting village women to breastfeed her and their children. During WWII, the Japanese invaded Borneo and tried to take over their village, and Pedo’s grandfather practiced his ‘skills’ with a vengeance.

As she grew older, Pedo was still naked to the world until one of the village women took pity on her and gave her an old white smock, which she wore for many years. She still didn’t have any underwear or shoes.

The years pass, and then a middle-aged American man walks by the Salon one afternoon. She smiled and waved ‘hello’ to him, hoping to attract another customer. That gesture was the beginning of the next fruitful adventure in her life.