There’s no denying it: the dog days of summer are upon us once again. As we sweat and swelter, many folks find comfort in a classic summertime treat. Yet few know a forgetful child invented it.

One day in 1905, 11-year-old Frank Epperson had a hankering for a sweet drink. He went to the back porch of his Oakland, Calif., home and poured a packet of fruit flavoring into water (similar to today’s Kool-Aid). Then he mixed it with a wooden stirring stick. His mother called him for a chore and he forgot about the drink.