diff --git a/src/getopt.rs b/src/getopt.rs
index 81c146d..70ee801 100644
--- a/src/getopt.rs
+++ b/src/getopt.rs
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ pub enum OptError {
 	UnknownOpt,
 }
 
-// Function signature
+/* function signature */
 pub trait GetOpt {
 	fn getopt(&self, optstring: &str) -> Option<Result<Opt, OptError>>;
 }
@@ -43,10 +43,11 @@ impl GetOpt for Vec<String> {
 			.map(Result::unwrap)
 			.collect();
 
+		/* these operations must be separated out into separate operations so
+		 * the CStrings can live long enough */
         let argv: Vec<_> = c_strings.iter().map(|x| x.as_ptr()).collect();
         let argv_ptr = argv.as_ptr() as *const *mut c_char;
-        let optstring_c = CString::new(optstring).unwrap();
-        let opts = optstring_c.into_raw();
+        let opts = CString::new(optstring).unwrap().into_raw();
         let len = self.len() as c_int;
 
         unsafe {
@@ -67,10 +68,10 @@ impl GetOpt for Vec<String> {
 				 *
 				 * Otherwise, getopt() shall return -1 when all command line
 				 * options are parsed. */
-                58 => { /* ASCII value for ':' */
+                58 => { /* numerical ASCII value for ':' */
 					return Some(Err(OptError::MissingArg));
 				},
-                63 => { /* ASCII value for '?' */
+                63 => { /* numerical ASCII value for '?' */
 					return Some(Err(OptError::UnknownOpt))
 				},
 				/* From getopt(3p):