Lizards were scampering away from the path to the doorway. They were not large, they had only a few spots, and some could climb away on the stucco walls around the door. All around, the sound of birds and insects made a distracting noise. I felt around under the ivy, and found the bell pull. The chain was rusted and covered with vines. Pulling it, petals, dead leaves and nests fell to the earth, while the tolling of the doorbell sounded deep within the house. With the bell, the animals, birds and insects raised a chorus in response. The crickets, black, hard, and shiny, started lining up in phalanxes behind me, in order of their size, while the geckos and iguanas moved in on the sides. Above in the trees, crows started murdering, squirrels formed ordered ranks and raccoons marched confidently out of the woods. In one voice, choral, with each animals sounds carefully modulated to blend in with the others to make a human voice, I heard: "We have come. Let us work together. Join us."