my @aFlds = split(/\t/, $line);
my $last_field = $aFlds[-1];
my $next_to_last_field = $aFlds[-2];

##</code><code>##

#Note: if $line='A\tB\tC\t\D\tE', then
# @aFlds = ('A','B','C','D','E') before popping
# and ('A','B','C') after popping

my @aFlds = split(/\t/, $line);
my $last_field = pop @aFlds;
my $next_to_last_field = pop @aFlds;