### reading
open FILE, "+<results.txt"
    or print CGI::STDERR 'Cannot open results file: $!'
    and die $!;
my %results = map { split / /, $_ } <FILE>;

### working
# this ++'s where appropriate
my %new_results = process( %results ); 

### writing back
while ( my ($key, $val) = each %new_result )
{
   print FILE "$key $val\n";
}
close FILE or die "Cannot close results file!!! $!";