Alfred is a young man who lives at home with his parents and works at a local drugstore. His track record of losing jobs establishes a pattern of careless behavior since he left school. He steals small items like toothpaste and lipstick to fund social outings with his peers. He acts like a tough adult but secretly hopes an authority figure will rescue him from the consequences of his actions.

Mr. Sam Carr is the owner of the drugstore where Alfred works. He appears as a busy small business owner who usually dismisses his employees with a brusque good night. He values trust in his workplace and approaches conflict with polite restraint rather than anger. He hesitates to call the police on a young offender because he understands the long-term consequences of a criminal record.

Mrs. Higgins is Alfred's mother. She has endured significant stress from her son's repeated workplace failures. She maintains an unflappable public exterior that commands respect from strangers. This outward control conceals her deep exhaustion and her bitter disappointment in her son's reckless habits. Her diplomatic interventions are driven by a selfless devotion to protecting her child from severe legal consequences.

Mr. Higgins is Alfred's father and a hard-working printer who works late into the evening. His steady employment provides the primary financial support for his working-class family. He functions as a looming background presence in the household. Outsiders view him as a strict disciplinarian, though his youngest son flippantly dismisses his authority.