diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 53eaa21960..693699042b 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,2 +1,3 @@
 /target
 **/*.rs.bk
+Cargo.lock
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 22ce267e3e..4089caf073 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ edition = "2018"
 
 [dependencies]
 generate = { path = "crates/generate" }
+memory = { path = "crates/memory" }
 
 [workspace]
 members = ["crates/generate"]
diff --git a/crates/memory/.gitignore b/crates/memory/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a9d37c560c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/memory/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+target
+Cargo.lock
diff --git a/crates/memory/Cargo.toml b/crates/memory/Cargo.toml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f605782c99
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/memory/Cargo.toml
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+[package]
+name = "memory"
+version = "0.1.0"
+authors = ["Pat Hickey <phickey@fastly.com>"]
+edition = "2018"
+
+# See more keys and their definitions at https://doc.rust-lang.org/cargo/reference/manifest.html
+
+[dependencies]
+thiserror = "1"
diff --git a/crates/memory/src/lib.rs b/crates/memory/src/lib.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..aa768b498c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/memory/src/lib.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,188 @@
+#![allow(dead_code, unused)] // DURING DEVELOPMENT
+
+use std::cell::RefCell;
+use std::marker::PhantomData;
+use std::rc::Rc;
+use thiserror::Error;
+
+#[derive(Debug, Copy, Clone, PartialEq, Eq)]
+pub struct Region {
+    start: u32,
+    len: u32,
+}
+
+impl Region {
+    fn overlaps(&self, rhs: Region) -> bool {
+        let self_start = self.start as u64;
+        let self_end = self.start as u64 + self.len as u64;
+
+        let rhs_start = rhs.start as u64;
+        let rhs_end = rhs.start as u64 + rhs.len as u64;
+
+        // start of rhs inside self:
+        if (rhs_start >= self_start && rhs_start < self_end) {
+            return true;
+        }
+
+        // end of rhs inside self:
+        if (rhs_end >= self_start && rhs_end < self_end) {
+            return true;
+        }
+
+        // start of self inside rhs:
+        if (self_start >= rhs_start && self_start < rhs_end) {
+            return true;
+        }
+
+        // end of self inside rhs: XXX is this redundant? i suspect it is but im too tired
+        if (self_end >= rhs_start && self_end < rhs_end) {
+            return true;
+        }
+
+        false
+    }
+}
+
+struct GuestBorrows {
+    immutable: Vec<Region>,
+    mutable: Vec<Region>,
+}
+
+impl GuestBorrows {
+    pub fn new() -> Self {
+        GuestBorrows {
+            immutable: Vec::new(),
+            mutable: Vec::new(),
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn is_borrowed_immut(&self, r: Region) -> bool {
+        !self.immutable.iter().all(|b| !b.overlaps(r))
+    }
+
+    fn is_borrowed_mut(&self, r: Region) -> bool {
+        !self.mutable.iter().all(|b| !b.overlaps(r))
+    }
+
+    pub fn borrow_immut(&mut self, r: Region) -> bool {
+        if self.is_borrowed_mut(r) {
+            return false;
+        }
+        self.immutable.push(r);
+        true
+    }
+
+    pub fn unborrow_immut(&mut self, r: Region) {
+        let (ix, _) = self
+            .immutable
+            .iter()
+            .enumerate()
+            .find(|(_, reg)| r == **reg)
+            .expect("region exists in borrows");
+        self.immutable.remove(ix);
+    }
+
+    pub fn borrow_mut(&mut self, r: Region) -> bool {
+        if self.is_borrowed_immut(r) || self.is_borrowed_mut(r) {
+            return false;
+        }
+        self.mutable.push(r);
+        true
+    }
+
+    pub fn unborrow_mut(&mut self, r: Region) {
+        let (ix, _) = self
+            .mutable
+            .iter()
+            .enumerate()
+            .find(|(_, reg)| r == **reg)
+            .expect("region exists in borrows");
+        self.mutable.remove(ix);
+    }
+}
+
+pub struct GuestMemory<'a> {
+    ptr: *mut u8,
+    len: u32,
+    lifetime: PhantomData<&'a ()>,
+    borrows: Rc<RefCell<GuestBorrows>>,
+}
+
+impl<'a> GuestMemory<'a> {
+    pub fn new(ptr: *mut u8, len: u32) -> GuestMemory<'a> {
+        GuestMemory {
+            ptr,
+            len,
+            lifetime: PhantomData,
+            borrows: Rc::new(RefCell::new(GuestBorrows::new())),
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn contains(&self, r: Region) -> bool {
+        r.start < self.len 
+            && r.len < self.len // make sure next clause doesnt underflow
+            && r.start < (self.len - r.len)
+    }
+
+    pub fn ptr(&'a self, r: Region) -> Result<Option<GuestPtr<'a>>, MemoryError> {
+        let mut borrows = self.borrows.borrow_mut();
+        if !self.contains(r) {
+            Err(MemoryError::OutOfBounds)?;
+        }
+        if borrows.borrow_immut(r) {
+            Ok(Some(GuestPtr {
+                mem: &self,
+                region: r,
+            }))
+        } else {
+            Ok(None)
+        }
+    }
+
+    pub fn ptr_mut(&'a self, r: Region) -> Result<Option<GuestPtrMut<'a>>, MemoryError> {
+        let mut borrows = self.borrows.borrow_mut();
+        if !self.contains(r) {
+            Err(MemoryError::OutOfBounds)?;
+        }
+        if borrows.borrow_immut(r) {
+            Ok(Some(GuestPtrMut {
+                mem: &self,
+                region: r,
+            }))
+        } else {
+            Ok(None)
+        }
+    }
+
+}
+
+pub struct GuestPtr<'a> {
+    mem: &'a GuestMemory<'a>,
+    region: Region,
+}
+
+impl<'a> Drop for GuestPtr<'a> {
+    fn drop(&mut self) {
+        let mut borrows = self.mem.borrows.borrow_mut();
+        borrows.unborrow_immut(self.region);
+    }
+}
+
+
+pub struct GuestPtrMut<'a> {
+    mem: &'a GuestMemory<'a>,
+    region: Region,
+}
+
+impl<'a> Drop for GuestPtrMut<'a> {
+    fn drop(&mut self) {
+        let mut borrows = self.mem.borrows.borrow_mut();
+        borrows.unborrow_mut(self.region);
+    }
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug, Error)]
+pub enum MemoryError {
+    #[error("Out of bounds")]
+    OutOfBounds,
+}