Mable, a mother of four in her forties, mostly does as she needs to, working at the Department of Consumer Affairs and supporting her family. When a friend of hers, who lived a very full and long life, dies, she is inspired to take up glass bottle dancing, which is very difficult, but something that has always fascinated her. She practices at night in her backyard so her family doesn't see her, as she fear they will pass off what she is doing as stupid or pointless. As she practices over the course of several months, she begins to improve and is satisfied with her progress. Eventually, her husband Franklin (or Boy-oh to her) finds her practicing one night, which forces her to reveal what she has been doing. As she was afraid of, he calls it stupid, which provokes indignant rage in her. The next day, though, he tells her he sees the value in what she is doing and wishes to help her improve, which she accepts. As a result, Franklin cannot keep the secret, and tells many people of Mable's progress, until Mable agrees to his proposition that she make a public performance. When she does so before a crowd, she is initially thrown off-balance, because the stage is much different than the ground of the backyard, causing her to cut her foot. Despite the pain and embarrassment, she carries on, completing her act without any major mistakes. When she finishes, though, she notices the audience looking at her in shock, for reasons she cannot understand.

A roach named Treevia lives in Mable and Franklin's backyard and has had several encounters with Mable. Treevia meets a roach named Oswald through his interest in her, and initially she rebuffs his advances. After a close call when she decides to rest inside one of Mable's bottles, though, she changes her mind and decides to be with him. Oswald becomes increasingly fascinated with Mable's actions and gathers more and more roaches to watch her. When it is time for Mable to perform publicly, Oswald and Treevia convince many roaches to travel with them to the event, which they watch. As Mable finishes, the roaches leap into the air, and hover behind her to form the shape of a huge roach, which the audience sees in horror.

The strange turn of events causes Mable to be dubbed The Roach Lady, and she continues to perform, inadvertently solving the roach problem in the surrounding area, improving many people's lives, including her own.