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“I’ll do it if you can’t…” I said assuredly to stressed-out friends struggling to put a newborn-sized t-shirt on their cat. I promised to head right over to help if they weren’t successful. 

After all, I’d been the one that told them it was a good idea. The cat came home with a shaved back and his war wound tended at the vet—without a bandage or a collar of shame around his neck to protect it. 

“OK, just put a baby t-shirt on him, that’ll keep him from licking his back and making a mess worse,” I said. The soft cotton will absorb leaks, and it’ll let the wound get air while he takes his antibiotics and recovers. 

“Remember, I’ll do it if you can’t—not my first rodeo!” 

It didn’t take long before I got the SOS call to come help—so the old pro gathered up her doctor bag of medical supplies: bandage, a towel to serve as a cat strait jacket, scissors, and other might-need-it items and headed right over.

I sailed right in. The furry patient was glad to see me, as were the frazzled cat parents clutching a newborn’s onesie. Picture a tiny t-shirt with snaps at the bottom. 

Confident in my ability to convince this cat it should wear this tiny tee, into the fray I went. 

The. Cat. Won.

Next time someone says “I’ll do it if you can’t,” especially when it comes to stuffing an unwilling cat into a baby onesie, don’t believe a word of it. 

 

• Saluda Tailgate Market resumes on May 5, taking place every Friday until October at the west city parking lot location off Main St. 4:30-6 p.m. 
• Mountain Page Theater’s YAK (Young Acting Krew) group presents ‘The Wizard of Oz’ on May 6 and 13, 6-9 p.m.; May 7 and 14, 1-4 p.m. Tickets/info: www.mountainpage.theater.
• Join Saluda Community Land Trust on its May 7 Walk in the Woods to Alexander’s Ford,  Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail. Meet at Saluda Library’s parking lot at 2 p.m. for carpooling. Visit saludaclt.org or call 828-749-1560 for information. SCLT’s annual meeting is May 11 at  Saluda Center from 5:30-7:30 p.m.; a light supper will be provided while projects/progress on SCLT’s many endeavors are discussed.
• The Women’s Club meets May 9, 10 a.m. at Saluda Methodist Church’s fellowship hall on Greenville Street. Guest speakers are  Tobree Mostel, Principal of Saluda School, and Elizabeth Taylor, head of the after-school program.
• Saluda Community Table is May 10, 5:30 at Saluda Fire Department. Bring your own plates/cups/utensils. 
• The 18th Saluda Arts Festival on May 20 will have music, food,  and over 95 artists! More volunteers are needed to sign up for shifts; if interested, contact Linda Bailey at boblindabailey@hotmail.com. 
• Saluda Pop-Up Pantry takes place Tuesday from 1-6 p.m. by appointment at Saluda Presbyterian Church, 54 Carolina Avenue (behind Saluda Library). Thank you to Jane Ella Matthews who has served as volunteer coordinator since 2019-now! To volunteer at the Pantry, call Saluda Church of the Transfiguration, at (828) 749-9740. 
• Happy May Birthday to Amy Copeland, Corinne Gerwe, Chris Anderson, Mark Jackson, Cary Pace, Lisa Hipp, Trevor Young, Paul Marion, Jesse Thomas, Margaret Sease, Elizabeth Baldwin, Chad Baldwin, Lynn Cass, Thelma Jones, Betsy Burdett, Melia Bradley, June Taylor, Robin Kirby, Kevin Matthews, Susan Warrick, Robin Bradley and Stella Barnett.

Feel free to contact me at bbardos@gmail.com, (828) 817-6765, P.O. Box 331, Saluda, NC 28773, Facebook, or visit bonniebardos.com