What if your friend had written the comments?
One thing I like is that "There's more than one way to do it.". You can use $. or you can use &printlinenumber();

There is a metric buttload of books written on software maintenance. One example I saw regarding commenting code and using terse variable names was along the lines of(pseudocode)

F_CNT=F_CNT+1; # Select the next flight
[download]

versus

FLIGHTCOUNTER=FLIGHTCOUNTER+1
[download]

The first one requires at least ten more keypresses.

So, in Perl, you have to comment. But I suggest thatyou keep the comments in the beginning of the script(s) and/or in the beginning of a function call or sub, kind of like in """that snake language""" or in /** JavaDoc */. Better than intermingled everywhere.

Makes Perl a pleasure to read, as always...