This piece is a story set in the American southwest, in the yard of a man named Oscar, though it is primarily concerned with the yard’s occupants: ants and lizards. Oscar destroys the fire ants’ mound in his yard, committing insect genocide. A hero emerges among the fire ants and enlists the help and friendship of the Gila monsters living in the yard. They agree to help rebuild the mound and potentially get revenge on Oscar. Eventually, they get their wish, and Oscar is taken off in an ambulance. The other enemy of both ants and lizards, the cat Virgil.