Some of this information is incorrect. Joe says in "Joe Blows (1)" that he was born on Nantucket, has lived there his whole life, and will probably die there. His family moved when he was 12 from an apartment to a house (seen in "This Old House). Helen's last name is "Chappel" with two Ps (as seen in "Life Could Be a Dream" and "Take My Life, Please"). Gail and Brian both call Joe "Joey" as a nickname. Joe's good luck wings are not plastic - he complains, "Hey, these are plastic!" after the mystery visitor gives him a replacement set; presumably the real ones are metal, as Brian claims they have given Joe tetanus after Joe sits on them and is bleeding.
Joe's Gift to Helen[]
Helen never seems to realize (nor does anyone else) the significance of Joe's original gift in "It's Not the Thought, It's the Gift." Although they tease him for buying what appears to be a touristy trinket, his "small thing" (as he explains to Brian that they give Helen small things for her birthday, about "ten bucks") is actually a physical manifestation of the thing most dear to his heart - Sandpiper itself. The little bird on driftwood looks very similar to the Sandpiper logo on the front of the counter staffed by Fay. Joe was giving Helen a representation of his most precious possession, but poor Joe - just like his airline, its legs keep falling off.