# call the sub with a local hash
play_around(\%toys);

sub play_around {
  my %t = %{$_[0]}; 
# I found this the only way to get the has in properly,
# otherwise it came in scalar, and mixing and matching 
# hash and scalars made me choose to load this way, if 
# it's wrong, please correct me.

$t{'leggo'} = "yes"; 
# this only lasts locally in this sub

$_[0]{'leggo'} = "yes"; 
# this will modify the actual %toys which is what I want.
# But this is darned ugly! and with a number of 
# hashes / scalars it's a pain. Is there not a better 
# way, or have I crossed the line into being a 
# bad practice perl programmer?
}