I always knew I took tea seriously, but the true gravity of the situation was brought home to me this morning.

I take my tea the correct way: Lyons, strong, no sugar, tiny drop of milk. I regard any deviations from this configuration with disdain. I'll tut and glare as I watch someone emptying an entire carton of milk into their cup and feel pity at the milky shambles that awaits. "Want some tea with your milk?" I'll jeer, smugly cradling my own wonderful cup of tan-coloured delight. I won't even start on sugar.

When I get into work, I immediately veer off to the canteen to make my first cup of tea. This morning I accidentally put too much milk into my cup. My first worry was NOT that I had ruined my tea. It was that someone else might have seen this and think I actually take my tea in such a disgusting depraved manner. I quickly checked behind me. A girl from the test lab saw. She definitely saw. She now thinks less of me and rightly so.

I almost explained it. "Argh, too much milk" I nearly said, but she'd already gone, shaking her head as she left. It was too late. She has probably told everybody. I didn't even have a nice cup of tea to calm me down.