The Easter egg a 6-year-old drew on in the 1960s is still uncracked in his fridge — and became a family heirloom

We all have that one toy, one dress, or one accessory we loved as kids. Many of us might still have it due to the memories it holds and the significance it has. For David Jenvey, this prized possession is a 60-year-old uncracked egg, reported CTV News. The man decided to make it his own when he, at 6 years of age, drew a face upon it one Easter morning. It was then stationed in his childhood home for decades until his parents passed away. Naming him “Eggbert” when he learned the egg had made it through so many years, it was only fitting that it continued to be a part of his life. Now a married man in his retirement era, Jenvey has no plans of saying goodbye to Eggbert. 

As a 6-year-old, it fascinated Jenvey to join the trend and do something funny on an egg. “Doesn’t everybody draw a face on an egg and put it back in the fridge?” he remarked. He had no idea that his parents would deem it a special egg and refrain from putting it in the pan. For years, the man remembered, “When you opened the fridge door, you could always see it looking back at you.” Decades later, the man went on with life, eventually forgetting about the egg. He even moved out, leaving an identity for the egg — Eggbert. “There’s no better name for an egg,” he remarked. 

Life moved on, and Jenvey retired. But call it a loyal friend or just fate, but Eggbert remained in the fridge unharmed. After 50 years of solitude, the egg was finally reunited with Jenvey when he came to move things after his parents’ passing. There was no doubt that the resilient memento would make it into his present family home, where he lived with his wife, Lise. At first, the woman thought it was silly and bizarre, even questioning whether they had to move Eggbert. Soon, she came around. “When I open the fridge, it’s just, ‘Oh! There’s Eggbert,” Lise said. “I haven’t said good morning, but I’m probably saying it in my mind to him,” she added. 

Eggbert is set to celebrate his 60th birthday this year. He’s still pretty “neat.” Lise notes that there is a rattling sound coming from inside of him, but the outside is still intact. The smiley has faded, but it's good enough to show who it once was. And this strong stature has been inspirational to the couple. “Not one crack. He’s strong,” Lise remarked. Though Eggbert has been rehomed, there are no plans to bid adieu to the precious oval and nearly 60 years, so we can bizarrely see why. According to Healthline, eggs do have a longer lifespan than we imagine if refrigerated and stored well. A study revealed that the type of hen that lays the egg, as well as the age of the egg, determines how the lifespan and quality will vary. Even cuticle coverage, an outer layer that protects the egg, and its shell color have a significant say in how long it might last before going bad.

But if you’re not cooking it and it’s more a belonging than a food item, even 60 years works, as proved by Jenvey and Eggbert’s case. According to the USDA Food Inspection and Safety Service, the yolk absorbs water from the white portion. Additionally, moisture and carbon dioxide also evaporate through the pores, and more air penetrates the egg. Speaking of what happened inside the egg, it’s likely that the yolk inside dried up over the years and is what’s causing the rattling sound. Through it all, two things are certain: one, your childhood memory can quite literally be anything, and two, you can learn a thing or two from an egg!

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