Oblonsky's affairs were in a bad state. Two-thirds
of the money for the forest had already been spent…Oblonsky's
whole salary went for household expenses and the liquidation of small
pressing bills. He had no money at all. This was
unpleasant, inconvenient, and, in Oblonsky's opinion, ought not to
continue. The cause, as he understood it, was that he received
too small a salary.Red Plastic Bag - Calypso Monarch of Barbados

Everyone loves a rags to riches story, this is one about a Calypsonian called Red Plastic Bag. Barbados has a population of only 256,000 so when one of its number makes it overseas, it's big news.

Red Plastic Bag, the Calypsonian, aka RPB was born Stedson Wiltshire and grew up in the rural parish of Saint Philip, the tenth child of a low paid fisherman.

Barbadian music surrounded his entire existence; it was constantly in the air being sung by locals and streaming out of shops and cafes on the regional radio. Red Plastic Bag has been singing the West Indies' music of calypso, reggae and soca since he can remember, and began performing in 1979. By the mid-eighties it became obvious that