def do_decoding(s, encoding):
    """
    Helper to decode a *bytes* object, or return the object as-is.

    Parameters
    ----------
    s : bytes | object
    encoding : str
        The encoding to use to decode *s*.

    Returns
    -------
    decoded
        *str* if *s* was *bytes* and the decoding was successful.
        *s* if *s* was not *bytes*.

    """
    try:
        return s.decode(encoding)
    except (AttributeError, TypeError):
        return s
