diff --git a/lib/boot/meta_class.rb b/lib/boot/meta_class.rb
index 97cc43fb..d77a1553 100644
--- a/lib/boot/meta_class.rb
+++ b/lib/boot/meta_class.rb
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ module Boot
     
     # in a non-booting version this should map to _add_singleton_method
     def add_function function
-      raise "not a function #{function}" unless function.is_a? Function
+      raise "not a function #{function}" unless function.is_a? Vm::Function
       raise "syserr " unless function.name.is_a? Symbol
       @functions << function
     end
diff --git a/lib/boot/object.rb b/lib/boot/object.rb
index e8c85f9b..52ada4d2 100644
--- a/lib/boot/object.rb
+++ b/lib/boot/object.rb
@@ -10,6 +10,11 @@ module Boot
         return index_function
       end
 
+      def self.layout
+        layout_function = Vm::Function.new(:layout , Vm::Reference , [ ] , Vm::Reference )
+        layout_function.at_index 2
+        layout_function
+      end
 
       # in ruby, how this goes is   
       #  def _get_instance_variable var
diff --git a/lib/kernel/string.rb b/lib/kernel/string.rb
index c7584c76..f9aeda93 100644
--- a/lib/kernel/string.rb
+++ b/lib/kernel/string.rb
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 module Crystal
   module Kernel
     def self.putstring context 
-      function = Vm::Function.new(:putstring , Vm::Integer , [] )
+      function = Vm::Function.new(:putstring , Vm::Reference , [] )
       ret = Vm::RegisterMachine.instance.write_stdout(function)
       function.set_return ret
       function
diff --git a/lib/vm/function.rb b/lib/vm/function.rb
index 2384161b..95cc243b 100644
--- a/lib/vm/function.rb
+++ b/lib/vm/function.rb
@@ -28,13 +28,14 @@ module Vm
   
   class Function < Code
 
-    def initialize(name , receiver = Vm::Integer , args = [] , return_type = Vm::Integer)
+    def initialize(name , receiver = Vm::Reference , args = [] , return_type = Vm::Reference)
       super()
       @name = name.to_sym
       if receiver.is_a?(Value)
         @receiver = receiver
         raise "arg in non std register #{receiver.inspect}" unless RegisterMachine.instance.receiver_register == receiver.register_symbol
       else
+        puts receiver.inspect
         @receiver = receiver.new(RegisterMachine.instance.receiver_register)
       end
       
@@ -63,7 +64,7 @@ module Vm
       @insert_at
     end
     def set_return type_or_value
-      @return_type = type_or_value || Vm::Integer 
+      @return_type = type_or_value || Vm::Reference 
       if @return_type.is_a?(Value)
         raise "return in non std register #{@return_type.inspect}" unless RegisterMachine.instance.return_register == @return_type.register_symbol
       else
diff --git a/lib/vm/values/integer.rb b/lib/vm/values/integer.rb
index 0239d738..9d880f11 100644
--- a/lib/vm/values/integer.rb
+++ b/lib/vm/values/integer.rb
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 module Vm
   class Integer < Word
     # needs to be here as Word's constructor is private (to make it abstract)
-    def initilize reg
+    def initialize reg
       super
     end
 
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ module Vm
       block.sub( self ,  left ,  right )
       self
     end
-    def left_shift block , first , right
+    def left_shift block , left , right
       block.mov( self ,  left , shift_lsr: right )
       self
     end
diff --git a/lib/vm/values/reference.rb b/lib/vm/values/reference.rb
index 11740850..a2c86772 100644
--- a/lib/vm/values/reference.rb
+++ b/lib/vm/values/reference.rb
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 module Vm
-  class Reference
+  class Reference < Word
     # needs to be here as Word's constructor is private (to make it abstract)
-    def initilize reg
+    def initialize reg
       super
     end