It's always good to have breakfast cooked by a friend, especially the morning after a hard nights camping merriment, but when there's egg shell in your fried egg butty, a line has been crossed and no matter how good a friend, the chef really needs be told (sorry Eric) – or do they?

It's one of those moments when time seems to stand still. All of us sitting here eating breakfast and like a frozen film clip, as if somebody has hit the pause button, I sit here motionless with a mouthful of fried egg and shell, deliberating what to do about it.

Sometimes it's just better not to say anything at all and I'm wondering whether this is one of those situations now. Should I just eat it and pretend the egg shell's not there, to be polite and not hurt anyone's feelings? 

If it wouldn't be so obvious I'd simply remove the egg shell from my mouth, but with Eric watching my every move, waiting for the seal of approval on his first go at cooking a camping breakfast it would be way too obvious. And I don't think even taking it out and pretending it's a loose tooth or disguising it with some kind of impromptu coughing fit would work on this occasion.

…. A glance at my watch tells me that in fact, time hasn't been standing still at all. Maybe for me, but in reality 11 whole minutes have passed and everyone else has finished eating their breakfast and are probably wondering why the ninja sitting in the corner has only taken one bite and has been sitting in silence, with cheeks puffed out like a hamster and a mouthful of food for so long.

If I was the chef, by now I'd almost definitely be thinking, oops, did I get some egg shell in there when I made the breakfast? And would've said something or taken the plate away and put the food in the bin to rescue the poor egg shelled eater. But not Eric. His beady eyes are still watching me, patiently waiting, hopeful that I'm going to pass a verdict and announce that his breakfast is delicious. But it's not!

And now it's been 12 minutes! So it looks like I'll have to be brave and eat it regardless of the fact that I'm sure egg shell must really be inedible....

Gulp!

The unsaid truth, just between you and me - it was damn crunchy! No further comment.