diff --git a/lib/parfait.rb b/lib/parfait.rb
index b0c11269..9cf51a88 100644
--- a/lib/parfait.rb
+++ b/lib/parfait.rb
@@ -21,40 +21,41 @@ module FakeMem
   end
 end
 
-class Parfait::Object
-  include FakeMem
-  def self.new_object *args
-    #puts "I am #{self}"
-    object = self.new(*args)
-    object
+module Parfait
+  class Object
+    include FakeMem
+    def self.new_object *args
+      #puts "I am #{self}"
+      object = self.new(*args)
+      object
+    end
+    def internal_object_length
+      @memory.length
+    end
+    def internal_object_get(index)
+      @memory[index]
+    end
+    def internal_object_set(index , value)
+      @memory[index] = value
+    end
+    def internal_object_grow(index)
+      @memory[index] = nil
+    end
   end
-  def internal_object_length
-    @memory.length
+  class Parfait::Class
   end
-  def internal_object_get(index)
-    @memory[index]
+  class Parfait::List
+    def length
+      internal_object_length
+    end
   end
-  def internal_object_set(index , value)
-    @memory[index] = value
-  end
-  def internal_object_grow(index)
-    @memory[index] = nil
-  end
-end
-class Parfait::Class
-end
-class Parfait::List
-  def length
-    internal_object_length
-  end
-end
 
-# Functions to generate parfait objects
-String.class_eval do
-  def to_word
-    word = Parfait::Word.new( self.length )
-    codepoints.each_with_index do |code , index |
-      word.set_char(index , char)
+  # Functions to generate parfait objects
+  def self.new_word( string )
+    string = string.to_s if string.is_a? Symbol
+    word = Parfait::Word.new( string.length )
+    string.codepoints.each_with_index do |code , index |
+      word.set_char(index , code)
     end
     word
   end
diff --git a/lib/parfait/word.rb b/lib/parfait/word.rb
index cca9bb36..3a9a2d77 100644
--- a/lib/parfait/word.rb
+++ b/lib/parfait/word.rb
@@ -7,20 +7,32 @@ module Parfait
   #
   # Words are constant, maybe like js strings, ruby symbols
   # Words are short, but may have spaces
+
+  # big TODO , this has NO encoding, a char takes a machine word. Go fix.
   class Word < Object
     # initialize with length. For now we try to keep all non-parfait (including String) out
     # Virtual provides methods to create Parfait objects from ruby
-    def initialize length
-      super
-      set_length( length , 32 )
+    def initialize len
+      super()
+      raise "Must init with int, not #{len.class}" unless len.kind_of? Fixnum
+      raise "Must init with positive, not #{len}" if len < 0
+      set_length( len - 1, 32 ) unless len == 0
     end
 
+    def length()
+      obj_len = internal_object_length
+      return obj_len
+    end
+
+    def empty?
+      return self.length == 0
+    end
 
     def set_length(len , fill_char)
       return if len < 0
       counter = self.length()
-      return if len >= counter
-      internal_object_grow( ( len + 1 ) / 2)
+      return if counter >= len
+      internal_object_grow( len )
       while( counter < len)
         set_char( counter , fill_char)
         counter = counter + 1
@@ -28,36 +40,25 @@ module Parfait
     end
 
     def set_char at , char
-      raise "char out of range #{char}" if (char < 0) or (char > 65000)
+      raise "char not fixnum #{char}" unless char.kind_of? Fixnum
       index = range_correct_index(at)
-      was = internal_object_get(index / 2 )
-      if index % 2
-        char = (char << 16) + (was & 0xFFFF)
-      else
-        char = char + (was & 0xFFFF0000)
-      end
-      internal_object_set( index / 2 , char )
+      internal_object_set( index  , char )
     end
 
     def get_char at
       index = range_correct_index(at)
-      whole = internal_object_get(index / 2 )
-      if index % 2
-        char = whole >> 16
-      else
-        char = whole & 0xFFFF
-      end
-      return char
+      return internal_object_get(index)
     end
 
     def range_correct_index at
       index = at
       index = self.length + at if at < 0
-      raise "index out of range #{at}" if index < 0
+      raise "index out of bounds #{at} > #{self.length}" if (index < 0) or (index > self.length)
       return index
     end
 
     def == other
+      return false if other.class != self.class
       return false if other.length != self.length
       len = self.length
       while len
@@ -66,7 +67,7 @@ module Parfait
       end
       return true
     end
-    
+
     def result= value
       raise "called"
       class_for(MoveInstruction).new(value , self , :opcode => :mov)
diff --git a/lib/virtual/compiler/basic_expressions.rb b/lib/virtual/compiler/basic_expressions.rb
index 1dcf890c..934d3c1b 100644
--- a/lib/virtual/compiler/basic_expressions.rb
+++ b/lib/virtual/compiler/basic_expressions.rb
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ module Virtual
 
   #    attr_reader  :string
       def self.compile_string expression , method
-        value = Parfait::Word.new(expression.string)
+        value = Parfait.new_word(expression.string)
         to = Return.new(Reference , value)
         Machine.instance.space.add_object value
         method.add_code Set.new( to , value )
diff --git a/lib/virtual/compiler/callsite_expression.rb b/lib/virtual/compiler/callsite_expression.rb
index 1d17003b..1650f423 100644
--- a/lib/virtual/compiler/callsite_expression.rb
+++ b/lib/virtual/compiler/callsite_expression.rb
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ module Virtual
       me = Compiler.compile( expession.receiver , method )
       method.add_code NewMessage.new
       method.add_code Set.new(NewSelf.new(me.type), me)
-      method.add_code Set.new(NewName.new(), Parfait::Word.new(expession.name))
+      method.add_code Set.new(NewName.new(), Parfait.new_word(expession.name))
       compiled_args = []
       expession.args.each_with_index do |arg , i|
         #compile in the running method, ie before passing control
diff --git a/lib/virtual/compiler/if_expression.rb b/lib/virtual/compiler/if_expression.rb
index 13e2b798..8e24f29e 100644
--- a/lib/virtual/compiler/if_expression.rb
+++ b/lib/virtual/compiler/if_expression.rb
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ module Virtual
       # compile the false block
       method.current false_block
       expression.if_false.each do |part|
-        puts "compiling in if false #{part}"
+        #puts "compiling in if false #{part}"
         last = Compiler.compile(part,method )
         raise part.inspect if last.nil?
       end
diff --git a/test/parfait/test_all.rb b/test/parfait/test_all.rb
index 3ff168af..3576a7e1 100644
--- a/test/parfait/test_all.rb
+++ b/test/parfait/test_all.rb
@@ -1,2 +1,3 @@
 require_relative "test_list"
+require_relative "test_word"
 require_relative "test_dictionary"
diff --git a/test/parfait/test_list.rb b/test/parfait/test_list.rb
index 93db6b6a..9d98d70a 100644
--- a/test/parfait/test_list.rb
+++ b/test/parfait/test_list.rb
@@ -8,15 +8,26 @@ class TestList < MiniTest::Test
   def test_list_create
     assert @list.empty?
   end
+  def test_list_len
+    assert_equal 0 , @list.length
+  end
   def test_empty_list_doesnt_return
     assert_equal nil , @list.get(3)
   end
   def test_one_set0
     assert_equal 1 , @list.set(0,1)
   end
+  def test_set0_len
+    @list.set(0,1)
+    assert_equal 1 , @list.length
+  end
   def test_one_set1
     assert_equal :some , @list.set(1,:some)
   end
+  def test_set1_len
+    @list.set(1,:some)
+    assert_equal 2 , @list.length
+  end
   def test_two_sets
     assert_equal 1 , @list.set(0,1)
     assert_equal :some , @list.set(1,:some)
diff --git a/test/parfait/test_word.rb b/test/parfait/test_word.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e3d072e8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/parfait/test_word.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,86 @@
+require_relative "../helper"
+
+class TestEmptyWord < MiniTest::Test
+
+  def setup
+    @list = ::Parfait::Word.new_object(0)
+  end
+  def test_list_create
+    assert @list.empty?
+  end
+  def test_empty_is_zero
+    assert_equal 0 , @list.length
+  end
+  def test_index_check_get
+    assert_raises RuntimeError do
+      @list.get_char(1)
+    end
+  end
+  def test_index_check_set
+    assert_raises RuntimeError do
+      @list.set_char(1 , 32)
+    end
+  end
+end
+class TestWord < MiniTest::Test
+
+  def setup
+    @list = ::Parfait::Word.new_object(5)
+  end
+  def test_len
+    assert_equal 5 , @list.length
+  end
+  def test_index_check_get
+    assert_raises RuntimeError do
+      @list.get_char(-6)
+    end
+  end
+  def test_index_check_set
+    assert_raises RuntimeError do
+      @list.set_char(6 , 32)
+    end
+  end
+  def test_index_check_get
+    assert_raises RuntimeError do
+      @list.get_char(6)
+    end
+  end
+  def test_index_check_set
+    assert_raises RuntimeError do
+      @list.set_char(-6 , 32)
+    end
+  end
+  def pest_one_char
+    assert 32 , @list.set_char(1 , 32)
+  end
+  def pest_empty_list_doesnt_return
+    assert_equal nil , @list.get(3)
+  end
+  def pest_one_set0
+    assert_equal 1 , @list.set(0,1)
+  end
+  def pest_one_set1
+    assert_equal :some , @list.set(1,:some)
+  end
+  def pest_two_sets
+    assert_equal 1 , @list.set(0,1)
+    assert_equal :some , @list.set(1,:some)
+  end
+  def pest_one_get1
+    pest_one_set0
+    assert_equal 1 , @list.get(0)
+  end
+  def pest_one_get2
+    pest_one_set1
+    assert_equal :some , @list.get(1)
+  end
+  def pest_many_get
+    shouldda  = { 1 => :one , 2 => :two , 3 => :three}
+    shouldda.each do |k,v|
+      @list.set(k,v)
+    end
+    shouldda.each do |k,v|
+      assert_equal v , @list.get(k)
+    end
+  end
+end