Happy Birthday Slurpee (especially my beloved banana flavor!)

Oh, how I wish I lived near a 7-Eleven to help celebrate Slurpee’s 85th birthday today!

Slurpees were my after school treat for many, many years…a reward for doing well on a test.

They were my cheap dinner break snack as a teen. I was on my way to get a Slurpee when I was in my first car accident at 16 yrs of age, leaving the mall for a quick break on my work shift.

Even now, Slurpees are still among my must-have snacks on every visit home to see my family.

They are simply not something I can get back home in Atlanta.  We don’t have a 7-Eleven near me.  And most 7-Eleven stores don’t carry my beloved banana flavor.

So, I don’t get them often. And when I do get them, I get a guilt trip for it (my sister: “Do you know how many calories are in those things?”).  Even on Twitter I was recently attacked for my Slurpee love affair (“Why would you put that in your body?”)  But I get them maybe twice a year now and I wish that today was one of those days.

That’s because today, 7/11, the Slurpee turns 85 years old, and the convenience store chain is celebrating with free Slurpees from 11am until 7pm, while supplies last.  The offer is good for any flavor.  I think Coca-Cola is probably the most popular, followed by cherry.  But nothing tops the sweet banana flavor to me.

So, if you live somewhere near a 7-Eleven today, please go have a banana slurpee for me.  It’s my treat!