I have never had so many lumps in my throat on a single day as yesterday, 19 March 2008 - the day that my long standing friend and mentor Sir Arthur Clarke died.

Yet there was no time for grief or tears in solitude. Literally dozens of media outlets from Sri Lanka and around the world were calling. Radio and TV channels wanted soundbytes...some of them live on the air.

And as his spokesman for nearly a decade, I had to be presentable, clear and cooperative.

My day started at 3 in the morning, barely two hours after his passing away, with the North American media calling. By the news had gone round the world at the speed of light. Everybody wanted to know more - how exactly did he die (respiratory complications), did he suffer (not for long), was he conscious to the end (yes, though he couldn't speak due to breathing tubes), etc, etc.

As the planet rotated, other regions of the world came in. The big wire services were all there: Reuters, AP, AFP, as were the big broadcasters - BBC, CNN among them. And then, of course, the Sri Lankan newspapers, websites, radio and TV channels for whom Sir Arthur was a celebrated local hero. Everybody wanted exclusive quotes and soundbytes.

And in an 18 hour mediathon, I ensured that everybody did (and kept them happy, I hope), even if it left me exhausted in the end. I'm back at it after a few hours of sleep. The process will continue until after his funeral, now fixed for Saturday March 22 afternoon at Colombo's main cemetery.

Sir Arthur would have approved. He believed that the show must go on, no matter what. He also wanted us to celebrate, not mourn his passage. And that's the tone of what I have been saying and doing. He left behind an imaginative yet plausible and sometimes daring vision for the future - and now it's up to his fans, admirers and the rest of us to create that future.

I've been too close to the unfolding events to blog about them, but I've just written up the story about Sir Arthur's last video message to the world that I directed last December. Other reflective pieces would follow.
http://movingimages.wordpress.com/2008/03/19/sir-arthur-c-clarke-
1917-2008-the-final-goodbye-from-colombo/

In that last video, which is online at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qLdeEjdbWE, he signed off in his usual style: This is Arthur Clarke, saying Thank You and Goodbye from Colombo!

And this is Nalaka Gunawardene, saying Thank You and Goodbye to Sir Arthur. It was the greatest privilege of my life to have worked with you.

About the author:
Nalaka Gunawardene is a Colombo-based writer and journalist who was spokesman for Sir Arthur C Clarke in the past decade. He can also be read at
http://movingimages.wordpress.com