<?php

$q = 'filler data';
$q[0] = 'david';
$q[1] = 'sec{${phpinfo()}}';
echo $q . "\n";

// however, if $q is an empty string...
$q = '';
$q[0] = 'david';
$q[1] = 'sec{${phpinfo()}}';
var_dump($q);