gistfile1.txt

{
    getItems: function() {
        var future = new Future()
            ,onComplete = future.resolver()
            ,sequence = 0
            ,waitingOnReplies = []
            ,replies = []
            ,buffer = ''
            ,client
            ;

        client = new net.Socket({
            type: 'tcp4'
        });

        client.setEncoding('utf8');
        client.setKeepAlive(true, 1000);

        client.on('error', function(err) {
            throw err;
        });

        client.on('timeout', function() {
            client.destroy();
            throw new Meteor.Error(500, 'Socket timed out');
        })

        client.on('end', function() {
            client.end();
            onComplete(null, replies); // todo put the received data in here
        })

        client.on('data', function(dataReceived) {
            var msg
                ,nullIndex
                ,doc
                ,sequenceReceived
                ,sequenceIdx
                ;

            nullIndex = dataReceived.indexOf('\u0000');
            while ((dataReceived.length > 0) && (nullIndex > -1)) {
                msg = buffer + dataReceived.substring(0,nullIndex);
                dataReceived = dataReceived.substring(nullIndex+1);
                buffer = '';

                doc = new DOMParser().parseFromString(msg);
                replies.push(doc);

                sequenceReceived = doc.documentElement.getAttribute('seq');
                sequenceIdx = waitingOnReplies.indexOf(sequenceReceived);
                if (sequenceIdx === -1) {
                    console.log(JSON.stringify(waitingOnReplies));
                    throw new Meteor.Error(500, 'received reply for unexpected sequence: ' + sequenceReceived)
                } else {
                    waitingOnReplies.splice(sequenceIdx,1);
                    if (waitingOnReplies.length === 0) {
                        console.log('all replies received. closing connection');
                        client.end();
                    }
                }

                nullIndex = dataReceived.indexOf('\u0000');
            }

            if (dataReceived.length > 0) {
                buffer += dataReceived;
            }
        });

        client.connect(port,host,function() {
            var dataSent;

            sequence++;
            dataSent =  '<<<<MY REQUEST GOES HERE>>>>\0';

            waitingOnReplies.push(sequence.toString());
            client.write(dataSent);
        });

        return future.wait();
    }