“The Brave Little Toaster” was the story of a toaster’s adventure to get home. This is the story of the brave little gift card.

A Starbucks regular came into the 1015 W. Lincoln Highway coffee shop Monday, April 2. The customer gave Jen Karey, a DeKalb resident and Starbucks employee, a gift card to body-piercing store Out On a Whim, 127 E. Lincoln Highway.

Kenny Weinstock, owner of Out On A Whim, said the gift card was on a balloon that was released April 28, 2006, after Out On a Whim’s fourth anniversary sale. He said they often let balloons go after an anniversary sale, but this was the first time a gift card was attached to one of the balloons.

The balloon had traveled 15 miles and was found a year later. The customer told Karey he found a balloon with a gift card attached in a tree in his yard.

“He said he noticed something shiny in the tree in his backyard,” Karey said.

The man went out to his yard to investigate and found an old balloon caught in his tree. A $50 gift card was attached to it.

Weinstock said the staff was amazed the balloon had been found.

“We were really excited,” Weinstock said. “We always wondered what happened with that balloon.”

Almost one year later, the gift card was redeemed by Karey.

“She came in with the gift card, showed it to us, and said she was given that as a tip by one of her customers,” Weinstock said. “She said that was the best tip she had ever gotten.”

Knowing Karey has piercings, the customer figured she might enjoy the gift car and he offered it to her.

“He knows I have piercings, and he said since he’s a middle-aged guy, he didn’t think he’d go there,” Karey said. “I guess [he] just thought of me, and figured I might want it.”

The generous tip was a good start to the week for Karey.

“Kenny’s done a couple of my piercings,” Karey said. “For an average Monday morning, it was a nice surprise.”