sub getMem {
    my $self = shift;
    my $confID = shift;
    $confID = $self->{_itm6_lib_gen}->{_CONFID} unless defined $confID;
    my $mem = {}; # default to an empty one
    my $local_store = "local_$confID.memstore";
    if (-e $local_store) {
        eval { $mem = lock_retrieve $local_store  };
        if ($@) {
            $self->{_logger}->trace( 1, "getMem: Reading store failed: $@");
            print "getMem: Reading store failed: $@\n";
        }
    }
    else {
        # print "$local_store not found\n";
    }
    push @{ $self->{_file_to_write} }, [$mem, $local_store]; # note we need to write this
    return $mem;
}

# Saving is done in DESTROY

sub DESTROY {
    my $self = shift;
    for (@{ $self->{_file_to_write} }) {
        my ($mem, $store) = @$_;
        lock_store ($mem, $store);
    }
}