say "in 2nd if";

#$openStreamsSock{$streamRequest++} = $LISTEN_SOCK->accept();
my $packed_remote_addr = accept(my $CONNECTION, $LISTEN_SOCK) 
    or warn "Couldn't connect: $!";

say "before 3rd if";

if ($packed_remote_addr)  #then created a connection
{
    vec($fin, fileno $CONNECTION, 1) = 1;
    $openStreamsSock{$streamRequest++} = $CONNECTION;
}