code: static public Object getByEquality(Object[] array, Object key)
      {
          if (array != null)
          {
              int length = array.length;
  
              for (int i = 0; i < length; i += 2)
              {
                  Object targetKey = array[i];
                  if (targetKey == null)
                  {
                      return null;
                  }
                  else if (targetKey.equals(key))
                  {
                      return array[i + 1];
                  }
              }
          }
  
          return null;
      }
docs: Gets the object stored with the given key, using
  only object equality.