public SymbolToken symbolValue() {
   if (!(_curr instanceof IonSymbol)) {
     throw new IllegalStateException();
   }
   if (_curr.isNullValue()) return null;
   return ((IonSymbol) _curr).symbolValue();
 }
 public boolean isNullValue() {
   if (_curr instanceof IonNull) return true;
   if (_curr == null) {
     throw new IllegalStateException("must call next() before isNullValue()");
   }
   return _curr.isNullValue();
 }