#!/usr/bin/perl -w
use DBI;
use strict;

my $dbh = DBI->connect("DBI:mysql:test",
        "user", "pwd", { RaiseError => 1 })
        or die "can't connect\n";

my $query = qq{select user(), NOW()};
my $sth = $dbh->prepare($query);

my $pid ;

FORK: {
    if ($pid = fork)
    {
        print "I am the parent (PID: $$) and $pid is my child \n";
        print_result($sth);
    }
    elsif (defined $pid)
    {
        print "I am the child ($$)\n";
        $dbh->{InactiveDestroy} = 1;   # line 23
        print_result($sth);
    }
    else
    {
        die "Can't fork: $!\n";
    }
}

sub print_result {
    my $st = shift;
    return unless $st;
    print "process id: $$\n";
    $st->execute() or die "can't execute (PID $$), ($DBI::errstr)\n";
    while (my $row = $st->fetchrow_arrayref()) {
        print ">> @$row\n";
    }
}
__END__
I am the parent (PID: 2812) and 2813 is my child
I am the child (2813)
process id: 2813
>> gmax@localhost 2003-11-30 18:06:20
process id: 2812
>> gmax@localhost 2003-11-30 18:06:20