Raj
He was a big, soft, marshmallow of a man and although he loved selling sweets, he loved eating them more. After the rush of sugar following a mid-afternoon scoffing session, he would often fall asleep at his counter…
Alfie always looked forward to seeing Raj. The newsagent knew how poor he and his dad were, and being a kind-hearted man he would often give Alfie a treat to take home. A melted ice lolly, a chocolate bar that had been slightly nibbled by a rodent, or a bag of jelly babies that Raj had accidently sat on so all the tiny tots were now flattened. Raj wasn’t a wealthy man, and couldn’t afford to give anything more. But to Alfie and his father they were like gifts sent from heaven, and the difference between going to bed hungry or not.
