my $key = 'foo'; my $additions = 'elephant'; my $color_hash = { a => [qw/ I do not know /], b => [qw/ what should go here /] }; my $rv = random_color ($key, $additions); sub random_color { my ($color_key, $color_additions) = @_; random($color_hash, $color_key, { caller => 'random_color', additions => $color_additions}); }