For any of you with enough spare time on your hands to actually follow this blob [sic.] I wish to inform you that I have not abandoned this mission. It's just that back in NY the old perspective- the one with a dollar sign at the point of infinity-is persistently gnawing at the creative beast behind, shifting it toward more pressing matters like sustenance and shelter. One is lightning quickly reminded of the gap that separates a dollar bill in Sri-Lanka and the same greenback in NY. Repeated emails and faxes to Clarke's entourage received no answer. But good old Sir Arthur is a strong man and I trust he will wait patiently until I've made all the necessary arrangements. I am hoping to get in touch with an experienced documentarist in NY. This person shall remain anonymous for now, but I have a feeling that if he/she can be convinced then I stand a slightly better chance for returning to 25 Barnes Place. But one thing is for sure; I must find a backer or at least a mentor that will take this case up with the Clarkian authorities. If anyone cares to help, now would be a good time.

A Fax to Fred Clarke, Monday, March 6, 2006
Mr. Fred Clarke

Good day,
My name is Lio Spiegler. I'm a young Israeli filmmaker living in NY. I'm writing to see if you can help me make some sense out of a baffling experience I had while visiting Barnes Place last December.

I'm a great fan of Mr. Clarke's ideas and literature. I always felt the young world, which barely knows of him and his work, is missing out on a great man, and consequently, on its own future. I think that the existing documentaries are short, and inadequate. I think that my generation could learn a great deal about itself, and about our future from Observing Clarke's philosophy. This goal became twice important today when the illogical affair between faith and reason has reached unprecedented heights. Simply allowing people to observe Clarke's triumphal display of critical thinking in the face of a superstitious world is enough to start a chain reaction of curiosity and creativity.

Knowing full-well that despttestite his prediction, Mr. Clarke might not live to see the inauguration of the Hilton Orbiter, I decided to travel to Colombo on my own to meet with him first, and leave the business talk for later. I also took the opportunity to wish him a happy 88th birthday and brought some remarkable gifts for him.

When I got to Barnes Place on December 13, Hector met with my assistant and me and offered to take us upstairs to meet Mr. Clarke. Sir Arthur greeted me amicably and we had a lovely conversation, at the end of which, he invited me to come back on the day before his birthday so we can film our interview and let him open his gifts.

When I arrived two days later it was as if I was Clarke's number one enemy. His secretary insisted that the final decision lies with the agents and that next time I should go through them. I tried to impress on him the urgency of the situation. I tried to explain to him that I came here independently, that I paid for the trip out of my own pocket, that I'm passionate for this cause, that the world must hear Mr. Clarke once more. Amazingly he thought that Mr. Clarke would be better off being cooped up in his study, out of touch with the young world that still needs him so much. Eventually he conceded and allowed me to film the interview but insisted-with Hector's support that Mr. Clarke doesn't like to be interviewed and that I should limit my questions to four-hardly a civilized conversation. It is beyond me, why even after traveling half way around the world to interview this great man that I should be treated like a criminal-my only crime was that I felt Mr. Clarke deserves to be heard and documented while he is still alive…

"Miracle Temple" - survived the tsunami unharmed

Ironically, it was the ACC Foundation, headed by Nalaka, who confirmed back in May that Mr. Clarke is indeed interested in doing a documentary. I'll admit that I may have been a little rash, and may have ignored due process, but only in the interest of time. I cannot understand why would his secretary, and then his agents, continue to ignore my emails, and faxes.

Mr. Fred Clarke, I came to Sri Lanka to do a film no one has currently offered to make. I followed your brother's famous 2nd law and crossed the limits of the possible. Anyone can make a decent documentary posthumously but it is a greater challenge and a duty to try to do a great film with the living man himself. I have no false hopes. I understand Mr. Clarke is old, and that perhaps his condition has deteriorated after May of last year. But from the unbearably short interview I got on the 15th he seems to still posses that Clarkian knack for producing insightful gems-if only given the time and circumstance.

I don't pretend to be someone I'm not. I am not a Spielberg yet, but I will eventually become one. I will get the necessary backing to produce and distribute this film but first, I need everybody around Mr. Clarke to show their support. I don't claim to know him just from reading all of his biographies but on that birthday, my gifts made Mr. Clarke cry with joy. When was the last time he did that?

I feel it's a global respttestonsibility to make that film a reality.

What do you think?

Best of wishes,

Lio Spiegler

After re-reading that fax I must say, "what the hell was I thinking?"

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