I noticed a thermos on the table this morning. Inside it was an egg, still warm. I retrieved it cautiously from the thermos and transferred it into my left pants pocket before bringing it to the café.

Charmaine wanted to know what I had for lunch today. So I carefully retrieved the egg from my pants pocket and showed it to her before putting it back in. It’s been a week since Charmaine put the new tuna croissant on the menu, and I have yet to try it. I also ordered a glass of pandan oat milk. The egg will have to wait.

I placed my tablet down on a table to renew my passport online. In order to do that, I need a passport-format digital photo of myself.

Carol arrived. I told her that I wanted to renew my passport online and requested that she take the said photo for me at the stairs outside against the white backdrop. She was happy to help.

I felt a chill on my left leg soon after the photo was taken. My left jeans pocket was damp when I looked down. The egg was a soft-boiled one, and it had been crushed inside the pants pocket.

“What happened to your pants?” Carol asked.

“My egg has shattered.” I winced.

Carol’s face turned pale, “Are you okay? Any pain? Do you want to go to the hospital?”

I retrieved a handful of eggshells from my jeans pocket. Upon witnessing this, she immediately smacked her forehead and rolled her eyes.

As we returned to the cafe, she hurriedly informed Charmaine, “Doctor’s egg has exploded.” Laughter erupted from the two ladies.

“Expected lah!” Charmaine said. “He hid an egg in his pants pocket.”

“You knew the doctor had an egg in his pants pocket?”

“Yes! He stashed the egg in his pants pocket since he was reluctant to eat it, because his honey made it, and he didn’t want to share it with others, so he hid it in his pants pocket. Unbelievable!” Charmaine exclaimed.

I hurried to the washroom, turned the soiled pocket inside out and flushed whatever that was left down the toilet. I had a drenched left trouser leg.

Upon returning to the café, with the left half of my pants dripping wet and in a darker color, they convulsed in laughter again, while passing a box of tissues back and forth.