code: def get_item_from_queue(Q, timeout=0.01):
      
      try:
          item = Q.get(True, 0.01)
      except Queue.Empty:
          return None
  
      return item
docs: Attempts to retrieve an item from the queue Q. If Q is
          empty, None is returned.
  
          Blocks for 'timeout' seconds in case the queue is empty,
          so don't use this method for speedy retrieval of multiple
          items (use get_all_from_queue for that).