In Bob Tarte's home, animals literally rule the roost—thirty-nine of them. Whether it's the knot-tying African grey parrot, or the overweight cat who's trained Bob to hold her water bowl, or the nightmarish duck who challenges him to a shoving match, this menagerie, along with his endlessly optimistic wife, provides daily lessons on the chaos inherent in our lives. But not until Bob's world spins out of control does he realize that this exuberant gaggle of animals provides his spiritual anchor.