# create socket $sock with IO::Socket or similar

my @headers;
while (<$sock>) {
  last unless /\S/;  # end on a blank 'line' ("\n\n"), like in HTTP
  chomp;
  push @headers, $_;
}

while (defined($_ = getc($sock))) {
  my $dec = ord($_);
  # process eithier $_, the ascii equivilent or $dec, the decimal value
}