Sir Arthur

Sir Arthur
Originally uploaded by Rob@SFU.

Today Cher and I raced to the Dive store in Colombo for the third try and again missed it. The store, owned by Sir Arthur C Clarke, is located in a nice part of town and in his house/compound. The compound is surrounded by a 12 foot wall with another 5 feet of electrical fencing. The huge steel gate rolled open after I rang the bell and the same security guard who turned me down the other days again told me they were closed. I tried to explain that it was actually 4:58 and there were still two minutes before 5. Finally the manager showed up and asked what I was looking for. I explained that I needed a prescription mask and that it was a heavy prescription (-10.5). He asked me to follow him up to the office so off we went. When we passed the doorway the name said Arthur C. Clarke and I wished I had a camera as I was trudging through HIS house. We finally went up some stairs and into an office and there he was, Sir Arthur C Clark, sitting there in a wheelchair! I walked over to shake his hand and he was so friendly. We chatted about diving with contact lenses and about how he had thought of the prescription mask 50 years ago. He was a truly charming man. I was kicking myself for not having my camer there and for not bringing Cher into the office with me. Sir Arthur then left and Cher showed up as she had come looking for me. I told her she had just missed Sir Arthur and the manager said "oh, you'll see him on your way out, would you like a picture with him?". I said I didn't have a camera and he said not a problem, he did! So, here is a photo of the three of us chatting :-)