tty interface to a hashtable for script configuration?

[Clark C . Evans]

Hello.  I'm looking for a small module that would take
a hashtable for input, and allow the user to change the
hashtable entries (or after N seconds return with the
hashtable unchanged if no one is at the console).   Of 
course, this could get very featureful, but those are 
the base requirements.  I was wondering if anything like 
this is out there as a module.  

I'm sure it has been written 100s of times -- so rather than 
roll my own, I was thinking that someone may have done 
this already and is willing to share.  If it is not packaged
and someone is willing to share, then I'll package it.

Best,

Clark