package Factory;

  sub makeThing {
    my ($class, @args) = @_;
    my $thingClass = $class->thingClass;
    my $thing = $thingClass->new(@args);
    $class->magicStuff($thing);
    return $thing;
  }

  sub thingClass { 'Thing' }

  sub magicStuff {
    my ($class, $thing) = @_;
    # pretend there's generic magic stuff here
  }