The 1,000-year-old Boy

A sweet story. but Alfie was frustratingly stupid. After 1000 years he should be smarter than this!

This is my second book from the author Ross Welford. (First book was “The kid who came from space”)

One quote / dialogue which could be the soul of this book is from Jack Mcgonagal, old friend of our protagonist, on the verge of death:
“I thank the Lord every day that I've been granted the gift of growing old. Because I would not want your life, Alfie, my friend. NOT IN A THOUSAND YEARS.” - Jack Mcgonagal

Questions I have are:
1) Why did Jasper willingly gave the life-pearl to Alfie (protagonist)?
2) Can a single life-pearl be used on more than one person/living creature? Because, at the end, Alfie used the last remaining life-pearl on himself. But, there is also Biffa (his cat). It would be better if he used the life-pearl on Biffa too, to regain mortality and stop being Neverdead.

Weird moments:
We seldom travelled, but, if we did, Mam would carefully unpick the seal and lift the tiny spheare out and swallow it for safekeeping. It would reappear about a day or so later, expelled in the manner dictated by nature. Glass - in case you did not know - is extremely resistent to almost all forms of chemical reaction, so the little ball was completely undamaged by stomach acids and other internal processes.

Living Forever and Living Forever as a boy are two different things ;)