Summary

In "The Dangers of Smoking in Bed," Paula's apartment was infested with flying insects. She was unsure if they were nocturnal butterflies or moths (169). Whichever they were, they "turned to dust" when she touched them (169). Paula also discovered that the did not immediately burn up "when they got too close to heat" (169). Sometimes they did die after being near light bulbs for too long, or when they "got tired" (170). Because Paula rarely remembered "to turn out the light" before bed, she often awoke to their burning scent (170).

One night she woke to the smell of something other than the burning moths. The woman next door had lit her apartment on fire smoking in bed. She was old, and her daughter "who took care of her" had not realized what was happening...