use DBI;
use DBD::whatever; # I use Pg, you use MySQL, same idea
my $cn = DBI->connect( 'YOUR PARMS HERE' )
  or die "Couldn't Connect!";
my %st;

$st{'GetThings'} = $cn->prepare(<<ENDSQL);
SELECT Thing_One, Thing_Two
FROM Things
WHERE Thing_Name = ?;
ENDSQL

$st{'AddThing'} = $cn->prepare(<<ENDSQL);
INSERT INTO Things
( Thing_One, Thing_Two, Thing_Name )
VALUES
( ?, ?, ? );
ENDSQL

sub closedb (
  foreach my $stmt ( keys %st ) { $st{$stmt}->finish; }
  $cn->disconnect;
}

# Main Code

$st{'GetThings'}->execute('Albert');

# fetch* here.

# ...

# All Done, clean up now:
&closedb;
__END__