2008-03-19 15:24:41
As far as the eye can see

One of Arthur C. Clarke's only prophecies that didn't come true was that in 2017, on his 100th birthday, he would attend the opening ceremonies of the first orbital hotel out in space. Yesterday, apparently unable to wait for the formal celebrations, he checked in.

The BBC reported his death at 90. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7304004.stm) it's a little over two years after I tried to interview him for a docudrama I wanted to make, so nobody can blame me for his departure. :)

Some people insisted that Clarke had reached his peak some thirty years ago and had nothing more of value to say. I didn't agree back then and, listening to his last hospital interview (http://spectrum.ieee.org/radio?date=18.03.08), I believe it was mainly because most people kept asking him the same old questions, failing to acknowledge the man evolving behind them. Perhaps he was content with people forgetting about the man, remembering only his concepts ("when I point at the moon, don't look at my finger"), I am even willing to admit that maybe his overzealous entourage actually ensured the immortality of his ideas vs. the mortality of his fragile body. Indeed, letting me ask him only 4 questions made this particular soul-searching espttestecially hard to complete.

Lio O. Spiegler shooting elephant

But replaying the interview I did with him, and listening to the curious kid inside him, I can't shake off the thought that Clarke's search was only just beginning in his later years. That he had so much more to discover and more to share. That the outer space he so loved but was denied access to, was being replaced by the search in inner space. ("Extend within" as he once said). I remember that the first thing he told me when I asked him what's he doing nowadays was, "I dream a lot. But I'm not sure anyone is interested in it".

I'd like to think that while I didn't get to ask Clarke all the questions I wanted to ask, he gave the all answers I needed to hear at that time. And that somehow, in spite of the seemingly disparate nature of the questions, and the emotional birthday-gift exchange, what really shines through is man's capacity to imagine, to create, and to love.

The local TV in Sri Lanka has videotaped Clarke as he made some statements on his 90th birthday (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qLdeEjdbWE) so technically my footage still qualifies as "the last filmed interview with Arthur C. Clarke".

But personally, I am happy to have visited him, to have shaken the hand that shook the hand of every astronaut that had ever been to space, to have witnessed this modern-day mosses looking into space from his mount Nebo of a wheelchair. And rather than lament the fact that I didn't get to do my fancy docudrama about his life and humanity's future, I am happy with the knowledge that I made this great man cry for joy.

So what will I do with the footage? I'm not sure yet. But if anyone has any ideas I'm willing to hear them out.

This is the end of my journey.

Share this article with:

More Articles of Interest: • BEEPING CREATURES • Are We Covertly Being Colonized By Aliens? • Avian Flu Update • Silence No More • ALIEN ROCK IN ROSWELL • GIDEON'S SPIES • Passing away through an ancient pyramid wall • Blue Star: Fulfilling Prophecy • I Forgot What I Wasn’t Supposed To Remember • LAW OFFICER TRACKED TEXAS UFO SPEED WITH RADAR DEVICE • UFO Alien Telepathic Development The Basic Beginner’s Level