We want to quickly draw your attention toward America's Heartland, where Gawker's own Deadspin editor Will Leitch returns to his hometown of Mattoon, IL to participate in that fair city's greatest festival. We speak, of course, of Bagelfest.

"As a kid I thought Bagelfest was the coolest thing in the world," the 1993 Mattoon High School graduate said during a phone interview from his New York City residence. "I remember riding a bike around town for bagels. And you'd eat one while riding. I remember being excited about meeting Murray Lender. He was the guy who had his name on the bagels."

We're gonna go out on a limb here and guess that Mattoon High is some kind of "special" school.

Congratulations, Will.

'I thought Bagelfest was the coolest thing in the world' [jg-tc]

Related: Please Don't Make Us Lonely In July [Deadspin]

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