Death Cab for Cutie’s “The New Year” will forever remind me of Casco Bay Books


Someone just posted this video on Twitter and I realized that I haven’t thought of this song, or the band for that matter, for somewhere around 7 or 8 years. Upon its release, Transatlanticism became a part of the ever-present soundtrack at Casco Bay Books, the small book and coffee shop that used to be housed in the 151 Middle Street complex. For the small handful of years I worked there, this used to be on heavy rotation along with a Talking Heads box set, David Byrne’s Look Into the Eyeball, and the early DFA compilations.

The Death Cab song / album turns 10-years-old in 2013. I am getting old.

We used to keep a daily log at the shop and we employees would fill it with various odds and ends regarding operations and observations. I just flipped through it and saw these two entries, which made me smile:

  • [REDACTED], author of the children’s book [REDACTED] came into the store today and was excited to see that we carried her book.  She signed the copy we have and told us she loves the store and will come back next time she’s in town. I personally think this interaction was a success due to Alex’s smooth charm, dreamy eyes, and that little tease of chest hair fluffing out of his shirt.
  • Café Items broken this evening: Air Pot, Shot Glass, Alex’s Heart

Aww.

[PHOTO CREDIT: bienworld]

thank you so much for cleaning the bathroom trash can, as well as alphabetizing for the kiddies.  At our house, Zoe and Isaac have a “swear jar,” into which I am required to deposit 50 cents for each “swear word” I utter (Mark is clean-mouthed, and thus rarely owes them money).  The F-word costs me $2.00, but that’s okay, because my personal mantra is, “SHIT SHIT SHIT.”  ($1.50, in other words).  Alex, my dear, if you were at my house, you’d owe Zoe and Isaac $5.50 by my estimation!

Alex Steed

About Alex Steed

Alex Steed has written about and engaged in politics since he was an insufferable teenager. He has run for the Statehouse and produced a successful web series. He now runs a content firm called Knack Factory with two guys who are a lot more talented than himself.