my ($mb_award,$mb_accept); 

  $db->{RaiseError} = 1; # turn on error checking\

  my $sth=$db->prepare( "SELECT mb_award,mb_accept FROM Items WHERE itemnum=? AND seller=? AND closef='1'" );

  $sth->execute($form{'item'},$fdnum);

  ($mb_award,$mb_accept) = $sth->fetchrow_array();

  print "  We see '$mb_award' and '$mb_accept'\n";