#!/usr/bin/perl --
# reading from file
# format: LEAD=fred FRIEND=barney
# 
# 
# 
#!/usr/bin/perl --
use strict;
use warnings;
use Data::Dump qw/ dd /;

my @AoH;

while ( <> ) {
  my %rec;
  for my $field ( split ) {
    my( $key, $value ) = split /=/, $field;
    $rec{$key} = $value; ## second half
  }
  push @AoH, \%rec;
}
dd( \@AoH );
__END__