Seriously, 7-eleven is the coolest shop in the world. You could quite easily live through all of life’s big moments from that store. I seem to spend an inordinate amount of time in the one down the road from me. It may have something do with what my beloved insists is my penchant for random shopping. I can’t remember the last time I went grocery shopping and remembered everything I had to get, even if I went armed with a detailed shipping list. There’s always something that eludes me and then I simply can’t be bothered to walk back to the beginning again for that one thing.

You see, there’s always the friendly 7-eleven around the corner. In it you’ll find something for everyone. And lots of ice cream, for some reason. My local store has four different ice cream fridges, so of course, one is lured into indulgence. And then there’s the imported sweet aisle. What better than a mint chocolate made somewhere else, even when there’s a perfectly acceptable local one at a quarter of the price?

But at any stage of life, you can get what you may need there. Baby products are abundant, from mushed peas to nappies. Then there are the home essentials like light bulbs and toilet paper. Party stuff from birthday cards (pens too so you can write your message) and gift bags to expensive looking chocolates or even watches. Before the party, you might need to do a little grooming and that’s no problem at all because you can buy nail clippers, memory boards, hair dye, shampoo, deodorant and all the other bits and pieces essential for looking yummy.

Energy tablets with strange Chinese characters on them are always in stock, as well as hangover cures. Condoms are packed in, up front and centre, and if one of them fails, you can also buy a home pregnancy test.  And if it’s a yes, then cigars are also available, or hubbly bubblies and all their important paraphernalia. If you need to share some memories, then there are loads of memory sticks to choose from, as well as blank CDs and DVDs. You can buy airtime for your phone and a lottery ticket or two.

It’s astounding what’s packed into such a small space, and I haven’t even mentioned all the essential groceries like cream, pasta, tinned tomatoes and pats of butter.

The next party I throw will be entirely stocked by 7-eleven. I’m even going to adjure my guests to only bring offerings purchased there.