Paint

Paint.  It is usually a product that is placed on walls, furniture, cabinets and molding to preserve, provide color, or protect wood, metal, or another material.  However, Paint is also the name of Jack Bartlett's horse in the Netflix show "Heartland."  Jack is one of the main protagonists in the show, which is produced in Canada.  The show revolves around him and his granddaughters Amy and Lou (Louise). Jack's daughter died in a car crash rescuing a horse in the first episode, and Jack's wife has long been deceased. Jack, with his daughter raised the two girls as the Dad was mostly out of the picture at that time of their lives.  The show revolves around people and horses, or it may be horses and people. You can usually tell the theme of a show by the situation with one of the horses or other characters introduced. In his last days on the rodeo circuit Jack got a new horse and named him Paint.  Upon winning the horse at the rodeo, the announcer had a grand-old time picking on Jack for giving his new horse the rather pedestrian name of Paint.

Jack ran a cattle ranch on the family homestead and his daughter was a horse whisperer who took it upon herself to help distressed, or abandoned horses.  Paint was Jack's faithful companion.  In the television show, Jack must at least be in his mid-70's, but the actor who plays Jack is about my age.  Jack had been out with his former son-in-law, Tim (who in the show is now back in the picture after his wife died), rounding up the herd of cattle they share.  On the way back to the barn Jack and Paint are moving rather slowly.  Tim picks on Jack for being too old, but when they get back to the barn, Jack says Paint was moving slow, not him.  They look at Paint and call in Amy's boyfriend, Ty, a vet student, who indicates that Paint's osteo-arthritis in one of his front legs is getting worse.  He says the joint is large and warm.  

As I was watching that episode I instinctively reached down to feel my left knee, which one can tell by simply looking at my two knees is larger than the right.  As I felt it, I noticed that it was warmer than the right one, too.  My wife, I think, thought I was imagining things, so I went over to her and she said well, it is slightly warmer.  She emphasized the term slightly. Here I am not unlike Paint, I move a little slower, ache more, and just not quite as energetic as I used to be.  Although there are some who think of me as being about as exciting as watching paint dry. 

Paint, the horse was reluctantly put out to pasture and Jack provided an eloquent speech to the horse about how the horse has done his duty and it is time for Paint to relax.  I guess, it is kind of like being retired.  I went self-imposed to the pasture just over two years ago.  

Paint is not long in the pasture when Jack, on his way back home from town sees him laying down, and with Ty's help  gets Paint back up on his legs and they walk him to the barn.  Amy, picking up where her mother left off uses herbs, and essential oils, and other alternative medicines, in addition to a steroid shot Ty gives to Paint.  Paint is doing well, and they decide to keep Paint up and about.  One of  the best things for arthritis is to keep active. They did the same thing with Paint.  Paint rallies.  

This past Saturday a neighbor was repairing parts of his lawn with sod, due to grass kill by dog urine, and his Dad, who is slightly younger than me was over visiting.  I asked his Dad, if he was supervising, and he said well, yes, to make sure the rake does not hit his car.  He then laughs and said he could get down and help, but the hard part is getting back up again.  I know I cannot do up-downs like I did when in middle and high school football practice. Come to think of it, I would be lucky to do one.  Heck, I am not sure if I can run anymore.  Last time I ran was in January, after which my knee hurt for a good month or more.  It has not been the same since. So, I am similar to the neighbors father.

I move slowly, as did Paint, and we both have an arthritic limb. But, unfortunately, Paint's rally did not long last. He goes down a second time, and a group of the Bartlett and Fleming clans were unable to get him up.  Paint was euthanized.  Here, I am still hobbling along on a bad knee.  It may take me longer to do certain things than it used to, but I can still get up.  In that sense I am better off than Paint. I doubt anyone, however, thought of Paint to be less exciting than watching paint dry.