Ira Glass

How big was it?

A story from Nancy Updike. And oh, we are not done. We are not done with the critters that make people scared to climb inside their own beds. These people that you're about to hear, they all live in the same apartment building.

A story from Nancy Updike. And oh, we are not done. We are not done with the critters that make people scared to climb inside their own beds. These people that you're about to hear, they all live in the same apartment building.

A few years ago, at 349 St. John's Place in Brooklyn, you'd be able to tell that the bedbugs had returned by the amount of furniture being thrown out on the curb. If you walked down the block, you'd see mattresses and bookcases spray-painted with the words, Bedbugs Do Not Use, in big letters, to warn off neighbors who might think of taking the stuff home.

A few years ago, at 349 St. John's Place in Brooklyn, you'd be able to tell that the bedbugs had returned by the amount of furniture being thrown out on the curb. If you walked down the block, you'd see mattresses and bookcases spray-painted with the words, Bedbugs Do Not Use, in big letters, to warn off neighbors who might think of taking the stuff home.

Robin Semyon, another one of our producers, stopped inside.

Robin Semyon, another one of our producers, stopped inside.

Robin Semien, a week or two after we first broadcast this story in 2008, the landlord at 349 St. John's Place hired a new exterminator, started treating the building regularly. Stephanie told us that it worked, that her apartment became bug-free. The rest of the country is not quite so lucky. There's a huge bedbug boom in New York and major cities around the country.

Robin Semien, a week or two after we first broadcast this story in 2008, the landlord at 349 St. John's Place hired a new exterminator, started treating the building regularly. Stephanie told us that it worked, that her apartment became bug-free. The rest of the country is not quite so lucky. There's a huge bedbug boom in New York and major cities around the country.

Coming up, somebody who consciously trains himself not to fall asleep and then has to suffer the consequences. And more. That's in a minute. Chicago Public Radio, when our program continues. It's This American Life from Ira Glass. Each week on our program, of course, we choose a theme, bring you different kinds of stories on that theme. Today's show, Fear of Sleep.

Coming up, somebody who consciously trains himself not to fall asleep and then has to suffer the consequences. And more. That's in a minute. Chicago Public Radio, when our program continues. It's This American Life from Ira Glass. Each week on our program, of course, we choose a theme, bring you different kinds of stories on that theme. Today's show, Fear of Sleep.

We've arrived at Act 3 of our show, Act 3, The Bitter Fruits of Wakefulness. We have this story from Joel Lovell. A warning before we start this story to sensitive listeners that the story acknowledges the existence of sex and sexual feelings.

We've arrived at Act 3 of our show, Act 3, The Bitter Fruits of Wakefulness. We have this story from Joel Lovell. A warning before we start this story to sensitive listeners that the story acknowledges the existence of sex and sexual feelings.

Joe Lovell. He edits podcasts for Pineapple Street Studios. Hello. Keith, it's Seth. This is the production manager of our radio show, Seth Lynn, calling his uncle Keith, about an incident that is actually the subject of this next act, Act 4, an incident that happened to Seth when he should have been sleeping over 20 years ago.

Joe Lovell. He edits podcasts for Pineapple Street Studios. Hello. Keith, it's Seth. This is the production manager of our radio show, Seth Lynn, calling his uncle Keith, about an incident that is actually the subject of this next act, Act 4, an incident that happened to Seth when he should have been sleeping over 20 years ago.

Seth had a very common childhood experience. He saw a film that he shouldn't have seen, and it had exactly the effect you'd think. After seeing The Shining, he had trouble falling asleep and nightmares every night, and here's where it gets a little extreme. This lasted for most of two years.

Seth had a very common childhood experience. He saw a film that he shouldn't have seen, and it had exactly the effect you'd think. After seeing The Shining, he had trouble falling asleep and nightmares every night, and here's where it gets a little extreme. This lasted for most of two years.

It lasted so long probably because the film was The Shining, a film that is not only truly scary, it starred a six-year-old boy, same age as Seth at the time. And if you remember The Shining, the director, Stanley Kubrick, is constantly shooting from the six-year-old's perspective.

It lasted so long probably because the film was The Shining, a film that is not only truly scary, it starred a six-year-old boy, same age as Seth at the time. And if you remember The Shining, the director, Stanley Kubrick, is constantly shooting from the six-year-old's perspective.

There are those amazing shots done from kid-level height as the little boy speeds down the hallways of this huge hotel on his big wheel. This made everything in the film seem very, very real to Seth. It just made it plausible.