Every year during the week of the Bead Show there is one incident that stands out in my memory — something that involves people experiencing the entirely unexpected. This year there were three things I’ll always remember about the 2008 show.

Two of them were the tornado watches on Friday and Saturday afternoon. It is rare that tornado sirens sound in downtown Milwaukee. Being close to Lake Michigan, there is something in the atmosphere that dissipates funnel clouds (some people say this is an urban weather myth — but I believe it). While the tornado watch was in effect, all the show attendees had to stay in the Market Place, a large interior space away from windows. We had to continue shopping until given the OK to leave the building — I certainly had no problem doing that. And this happened twice.

The third memorable event happened at Tuesday night’s master class dinner. A woman seated next to me and the woman seated across from her sat down, looked at each other, and said, almost in unison, “I know you!” It seems they had known each other 10 years ago through their jobs. Then life happened, they changed jobs, and lost contact.

Since their last meeting, both have become involved in the jewelry/beading world — one as a lampworker and the other as a silversmith. Each enrolled in one of this year’s master classes. And by chance, and pure luck, they were seated across from each other by the folks planning the dinner. They spent the entire evening marveling at their good fortune in meeting again and discovering that each of their lives had taken an artistic turn.

It is truly a small world. You just never know whom you’ll meet next year at the 2009 bead show.

Lynne