my $finished_1, $finished_2; 
   # should be: my ($finished_1, $finished_2);
   # list context is needed for the "my" to apply to
   # both variables.
chomp $line1, $line2;
   # the chomp() does not operate on $line2. 
   # Again, list context is needed...
   # chomp ($line1, $line2); 
   # but that requires a change in the print
   #   # e.g., print "$line1 \t $line2\n";
   #
   # Of course code could be just:
   # chomp $line1; #leave $line2 out of it!
   # My coding preference would be to be symmetrical,
   #    i.e. # chomp ($line1, $line2); 
   # and add the extra $line2 line ending back in
   # during the print.
   #
   # instead of: print "$line1 \t $line2";
   # print "$line1 \t $line2\n";

##</code><code>##

sub read_circular
{
   my $fh = shift;
   my $line;
   
   do 
   {
      $line = <$fh>;
      seek ($fh,0,0) if !(defined $line); #restart from beginning
   
   }until (defined $line);
   
   return $line;
}   

##</code><code>##

++$finished_1, seek ONE,0,0 if eof ONE;
# this is the same as
if ( eof ONE)
{
    $finished_1++;   #post or pre-increment the same
    seek ONE,0,0;
}
# the number of source code lines does not equate
# directly into actual "code savings". The more
# wordy "if" loop will code into very similar, if
# not the exactly the same executing code