diff --git a/blah.txt b/blah.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ce1fb1d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/blah.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+S'3'
+p0
+.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/blah2.txt b/blah2.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f295a9a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/blah2.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+S'2'
+p0
+.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/counter.py b/counter.py
index 1e2fb56..a6eb44e 100644
--- a/counter.py
+++ b/counter.py
@@ -5,35 +5,55 @@
 from pickle import dump, load
 
 def update_counter(file_name, reset=False):
-	""" Updates a counter stored in the file 'file_name'
-
-		A new counter will be created and initialized to 1 if none exists or if
-		the reset flag is True.
-
-		If the counter already exists and reset is False, the counter's value will
-		be incremented.
-
-		file_name: the file that stores the counter to be incremented.  If the file
-				   doesn't exist, a counter is created and initialized to 1.
-		reset: True if the counter in the file should be rest.
-		returns: the new counter value
-
-	>>> update_counter('blah.txt',True)
-	1
-	>>> update_counter('blah.txt')
-	2
-	>>> update_counter('blah2.txt',True)
-	1
-	>>> update_counter('blah.txt')
-	3
-	>>> update_counter('blah2.txt')
-	2
-	"""
-	pass
+    """ Updates a counter stored in the file 'file_name'
+
+        A new counter will be created and initialized to 1 if none exists or if
+        the reset flag is True.
+
+        If the counter already exists and reset is False, the counter's value will
+        be incremented.
+
+        file_name: the file that stores the counter to be incremented.  If the file
+                   doesn't exist, a counter is created and initialized to 1.
+        reset: True if the counter in the file should be rest.
+        returns: the new counter value
+
+    >>> update_counter('blah.txt',True)
+    1
+    >>> update_counter('blah.txt')
+    2
+    >>> update_counter('blah2.txt',True)
+    1
+    >>> update_counter('blah.txt')
+    3
+    >>> update_counter('blah2.txt')
+    2
+    """
+
+    if exists(file_name) and not reset:
+            f = open(file_name, 'r+')
+            num = load(f)
+            try:
+                    newNum = int(num)+1
+                    f.seek(0,0)
+                    dump(str(newNum),f)
+                    return int(newNum)
+
+            except ValueError:
+                    #if num is not a number
+                    f.close()
+
+
+
+    f = open(file_name, 'w')
+    dump('1',f)
+    return 1
+
+
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
-	if len(sys.argv) < 2:
-		import doctest
-		doctest.testmod()
-	else:
-		print "new value is " + str(update_counter(sys.argv[1]))
\ No newline at end of file
+    if len(sys.argv) < 2:
+        import doctest
+        doctest.testmod()
+    else:
+        print "new value is " + str(update_counter(sys.argv[1]))