MAY 18 • 2023 | 31
more contemporary single-story home with
their advancing age. Their cousin Shirley, a
third figurine that often entered the mail-
box, who was disabled with a broken leg
and accompanied by her service dog, also
needed better accommodations. Having
seen the Powells’ mailbox, they found a
new, perfect home.
It didn’t end there. For Halloween, Mary
and Shelley “left town” and were replaced
by two doll-looking skeletons in black
robes. Powell made another post related to
that.
Around the holiday season, many people
asked about Mary and Shelley’s religion and
what they would be celebrating.
“I said in a post it was a mixed marriage,
Mary was Christian and Shelley was Jewish,
and they celebrated both holidays,
” Powell
said. “We didn’t get a menorah in the mail-
box, but we did get a Christmas tree and
seven or eight nicely decorated packages.
Next holiday season, if a menorah is not put
in, I’ll go find a dollhouse-sized menorah
and add that to the holiday celebration.
”
With all the additions, people could won-
der how the Powell’s still get their mail and
if the mailman has any logistical issues.
The Powell’s ordered this custom-de-
signed mailbox after moving into their
Orchard Lake Village home about five years
ago. Though not an exact replica, the mail-
box roughly resembles the Powells’ house, a
modern Tobocman home with a flat roof.
The mailbox is equipped with plenty of
windows and solar lighting which illumi-
nate the mailbox at night. At 26 inches in
length, space is not a problem, allowing
Powell to move the dolls and furniture to
the back of the mailbox so the mail can fit.
Powell recalls his mailman saying he’s never
seen anything like this in all his years on
the job.
In the most recent mailbox switcheroo,
the person(s) responsible took away the bed
and put in a wooden workstation at which
Mary sat. They also put in a wood burning
stove.
During the ice storm Michigan saw earli-
er this year, Powell made another post while
legitimately not being able to open the
mailbox as it was frozen shut.
“I said Mary and Shelley are trapped in
their home in the mailbox. They’re without
electricity and they were relying upon the
wood burning stove to keep warm,
” Powell
said.
In these eight months, Powell says it’s cer-
tainly created joy for him and his wife and
has allowed for his creative writing juices
to flow.
“We look forward to opening the mailbox
and seeing what might be in there,
” Powell
said. “
And I’ve always enjoyed writing. I’ve
written 14 health books. I wrote a book
on sports cliches. It’s actually gotten me to
think about writing a children’s book about
this, because it’s a fun story.
”
Powell, 72, is president and CEO of
the Michigan-based American Institute
for Preventive Medicine, a company that
facilitates worksite wellness programs for
companies and hospitals throughout the
country.
When asked if he’s hoping to find who’s
behind the mailbox mischief, Powell says it’s
not something he’s actively seeking at this
time.
“I don’t need to know who’s doing it,
” he
said. “I don’t think it’s sinister in nature. I
like it. I certainly don’t complain about it.
”
In the first few months, there were five or
six makeovers in terms of something being
added or subtracted to the mailbox. In the
past few months, it’s slowed down. Powell
figures whoever’s behind it all may have
been away for the winter, but now with
the story all over national and local media,
maybe they’ll see the notoriety and positive
comments their work has attracted.
“People are really interested in the lives
of Mary and Shelley — they want to know
what they do for a living, if they have
children, if they’re paying rent or if we’ve
tried to evict them. It’s almost like they’ve
become real people. It’s been a lot of fun,
”
Powell reflected.
“I think what’s captured everybody’s
attention is the positive, uplifting nature.
There have been thousands of comments.
One woman said it’s the first time she’s
smiled in a month since her sister passed
away. It’s struck a chord that happiness and
fun things certainly still have a place in our
society.
”
The Powells’
mailbox
Don
Powell
COURTESY OF DON POWELL