(Kansas City, Missouri) - Where's the cream cheese?

While trading Twitter jabs - pointed but polite and all in good, World Series-inspired fun - Kansas City's and New York's public libraries also are setting some tangible, edible stakes on the outcome of the Series.

Kansas City Public Library Director Crosby Kemper III and NYPL President Tony Marx struck the friendly wager before the Royals and Mets squared off. If the American League champion Royals go on to win, Marx will deliver a batch of Mets-themed, orange and blue bagels from The Bagel Store in Brooklyn. If the National League champions rally to take it all, Kemper will fork out some of Kansas City's matchless barbecue.

Early advantage: Kemper. His Royals take a 2-0 lead into the Series' third game in New York on Friday.

"We had to think twice about making barbecue our side of the bet," Kemper says, keeping in the spirit of the friendly rivalry, "because the Mets will probably feel like they have been in the smoker too long after this Series."

Marx and NYPL can cling to history; the Mets rallied from a 0-2 hole to beat the Boston Red Sox in seven games in 1986. (Then again, the Royals did the same against the St. Louis Cardinals the previous year.)

"Channeling our iconic lions, Mets fans have waited with much 'patience and fortitude' for this chance, and you gotta believe that they will celebrate a victory in the Fall Classic," Marx says. "Still, the Royals are undoubtedly a great team, and we wish them - and our colleagues at the Kansas City Public Library - good luck. In the meantime, we at NYPL will stock up on napkins ... eager for the barbecue coming our way."