Thanks Aristotle I will look into closures.

I usually test my assumptions but I'm stuck working today.

I have spent too many years chasing down pointer problems in C/C++ - this is for sure, point taken.
I am making a dangerous assumption that the function reader is equivalent to a thread proc in C/C++. If so, it is basically just like the main() function in C. It will need to return before dying. If I pass an object into a thread proc that some how controls the life-time of the thread, I hope that the object's life-time exceeds that of the thread.
If the object ceases to exist before the thread terminates - how will I control the thread.

Threads can cause wickedly interesting problems!!!