January 8, 2008. Sri Lanka. On a hospital bed in the country where he's lived for the past 40 years, Sir Arhur C. Clarke accepts a short meeting with Romanian journalist Catalin Gombos. He answers to only one question - an answer summarizing a whole life.

Asked that considering the way the world looks today, with global warming, war against terror and a fast evolution of technology he was optimistic about the future, Arthur C. Clarke said man must be optimistic because there were forecasts that fulfill themselves so that, when you get pessimistic, the thing you fear may happen. It is better to be optimistic, but realistic as well, Arthur C. Clarke said.

Catalin Gombos had been trying to get an interview with Arthur C. Clarke since before Christmas 2007. But he was delayed by Clarke's men, considering that Si Clarke was ill in hospital. The writer eventually accepted to allow the Romanian journalist for a short talk the day before the latter was about to leave Sri Lanka, on January 8.

Asked how he felt in his modern hospital room, Sir Arthur said he was fine, but that "this damned polio" wouldn't let him move. He only accepted to answer that one question because the journalist had come from so far away.

After answering, he went to sleep right away.

Arthur C. Clarke, the writer of 2001: A Space Odyssey, died March 19, 2008 at the age of 90.

January 8, 2008. Sri Lanka. On a hospital bed in the country where he's lived for the past 40 years, Sir Arhur C. Clarke accepts a short meeting with Romanian journalist Catalin Gombos. He answers to only one question - an answer summarizing a whole life.

Asked that considering the way the world looks today, with global warming, war against terror and a fast evolution of technology he was optimistic about the future, Arthur C. Clarke said man must be optim