A Farewell to "Phonsie"
| 09:13 UK time, Friday, 1 October 2010
ÌýÌýThis post has been written by Mark Sandell, WHYS editor currently in Monserrat.
It took nearly two hours to snake around the roads from Salem but when it arrived it was impressive. Hundreds - and I mean hundreds -of cars formed a motorcade to begin the events leading up to today's funeral of Arrow, the Soca King, known to his friends here on Montserrat as "Phonsie".
The cars had their headlights on, some had hazards on, most were flying flags, but all were playing the music of this island's most famous son. It was an impressive sight with the bats wheeling overhead and the lights of Nevis twinkling in the Caribbean distance.
Even though this is the beginning of a period of sadness, it's also oddly and appropriately joyful. Many people watching the processions commented that "Arrow would have loved this".
It was also appropriate that during the day the radio station- ZJB - was advertising special t-shirts to mark the day - all available from Arrow's Man Shop. He'd have loved that too. The T Shirts carried slogans like "Proud Montserratian" , "Hot,Hot,Hot" and of course "one hundred per cent volcanic".
Everyone talks about Alphonse "Arrow" Cassell MBE with affection. This quiet man who came alive on a stage. The former insurance salesman who produced one of the great summer hits. This successful entrepreneur perfectionist who seemed to have time for everyone.
One woman, a Jamaican, told me how she came to the island for work, and was dismayed by how quiet the place was. She considered leaving until she met a man on the street who urged her to stay, to enjoy the friendliness of the place. She decided to stick with it. Later, she was told the man who she'd spoken to was Arrow.
Above all, he was the man who could have left Montserrat when times were hard, but chose not to.
Yesterday, planes arrived throughout the day bringing friends of the family over from Antigua nine at a time. The ferries came too, 200 people at a time. It means that today, on an island of 5 thousand people, there will be 2 and a half thousand at the service alone- half a country- the rest outside or following it on the radio.
Many will be returning home for the first time in years - there are warnings on the radio for people not to be tempted to go into the Exclusion Zone- the volcano hasn't stopped grumbling just because it's a day of mourning.
There's the music fraternity here of course- calypsonians- and various dignitaries from Montserrat and across the Caribbean, but for many today's events will be deeply personal.
In the official order of service there are many tributes to Arrow, talking about his music, his business, his impact on Montserrat, but there's also this tribute from his daughter Arrdeema, the daughter everyone says Arrow doted on and who has the same eyes as her father.
She writes :
"A Legend. A Superstar and Icon are some of the words I hear people call you. But for me you are my DADDY. ".
