diff --git a/core/actor.lisp b/core/actor.lisp
index 4f89af1..63d2f4a 100644
--- a/core/actor.lisp
+++ b/core/actor.lisp
@@ -8,34 +8,47 @@
 
 (in-package :scopes/core/actor)
 
-;;;; basic actor and message implementation
+;;;; basic message and actor implementations
+
+(defclass message ()
+  ((content :reader content :initarg :content :initform nil)
+   (customer :reader customer :initarg :customer :initform nil)))
+
+(defun message (content customer)
+  (make-instance 'message :content content :customer customer))
 
 (defclass actor ()
   ((behavior :accessor behavior :initarg :behavior :initform #'no-op)))
 
+(defgeneric deliver (ac msg)
+  (:method ((ac actor) msg) 
+    (funcall (behavior ac) ac msg)))
+ 
+;;;; the core (Hewitt) actor API
+
 (defun become (ac bhv)
   (setf (behavior ac) bhv))
 
 (defun create (bhv &optional (cls 'actor))
   (make-instance cls :behavior bhv))
 
-(defun send (addr msg &key customer)
-  (let ((ac addr)) 
-    ;(setf (customer msg) customer)
-    (funcall (behavior ac) ac msg)))
+(defun send (addr content &key customer)
+  (let ((ac addr) (msg (message content customer))) 
+    (deliver ac msg)))
 
 ;;;; predefined behaviors
 
 (defun no-op (ac msg))
 
 (defun lgi (ac msg)
-  (util:lgi msg))
+  (util:lgi (content msg)))
 
 (defun echo (ac msg)
   (send (customer msg) msg))
 
 (defun inc (&optional (val 0))
   #'(lambda (ac msg) 
-      (if msg ; (payload msg)
-        (become ac (inc (+ msg val)))
-        (send (create #'lgi) val))))
+      (let ((c (content msg))) 
+        (if (eq c :show)
+          (send (create #'lgi) val)
+          (become ac (inc (+ c val)))))))
diff --git a/test/test-core.lisp b/test/test-core.lisp
index e4fad1f..04fde98 100644
--- a/test/test-core.lisp
+++ b/test/test-core.lisp
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@
     (setf a1 (actor:create (actor:inc)))
     (actor:send a1 2)
     (actor:send a1 3)
-    (actor:send a1 nil)
+    (actor:send a1 :show)
     ))
 
 (deftest test-send ()