code: public char read_char() throws OtpErlangDecodeException {
          final long l = this.read_long(true);
          final char i = (char) l;
  
          if (l != (i & 0xffffL)) {
              throw new OtpErlangDecodeException("Value does not fit in char: "
                      + l);
          }
  
          return i;
      }
docs: Read a character from the stream.
  
  @return the character value.
  
  @exception OtpErlangDecodeException
  if the next term in the stream is not an integer that can
  be represented as a char.