gistfile1.rb

    require 'redis'
    
    def long_running_command
      t = Thread.new do
        conn = Redis.new
        conn.client.call(["DEBUG", "SLEEP", "1"])
      end
      sleep 0.1 # let it connect before we return
      t
    end
    
    conn = Redis.new( timeout: 0.01 )
    
    p conn.client.call(["SET", "a", "A"])
    p conn.client.call(["SET", "b", "B"])
    
    wait = long_running_command
    
    # This will time out
    p conn.client.call(["GET", "b"]) rescue nil
    
    wait.join
    puts "done with long-running command"
    
    # This prints "A"
    p conn.client.call(["GET", "a"]) rescue nil