diff --git a/blah.txt b/blah.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ba8c4c4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/blah.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+I3
+.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/blah2.txt b/blah2.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1cc9408
--- /dev/null
+++ b/blah2.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+I2
+.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/counter.py b/counter.py
index 1e2fb56..d40260f 100644
--- a/counter.py
+++ b/counter.py
@@ -1,39 +1,59 @@
-""" A program that stores and updates a counter using a Python pickle file"""
+"""A program that stores and updates a counter using a Python pickle file.
+"""
 
 from os.path import exists
 import sys
 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
+    """
+    # check if the file exists
+    extant = exists(file_name)
+    # if the file exists and is not supposed to be reset, this opens the file,
+    # increments the counter by one, and closes the file
+    if extant and not reset:
+        f = open(file_name, 'r+')
+        f.seek(0, 0)
+        count = load(f)
+        count += 1
+    # otherwise, this opens the file and initializes the counter at 1.
+    else:
+        f = open(file_name, 'w')
+        f.seek(0, 0)
+        count = 1
+    f.seek(0, 0)
+    dump(count, f)
+    f.close()
+    return count
+
 
 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(verbose=True)
+    else:
+        print 'new value is ' + str(update_counter(sys.argv[1]))