It all started when I was 20 years old. It was 1933, and I had immigrated to America from my green home in Ireland. I loved Ireland very much but I wanted a chance in America. The land of opportunities. I love to cook and was excited to find work as a personal chef for the wealthier families. Finding a job as a personal chef was not too hard for me. A family in New Jersey hired me and soon I was cooking meals for them daily. Going to the market, buying the ingredients, returning and making supper. This was the regular routine. I made wonderful meals and never heard a complaint from the family. I was treated fairly. I stayed in their home and they paid me a fair amount.
Then the little boy got sick. He coughed and coughed and his parents didn’t want to believe it was typhoid. Soon after they got sick. Then the boy’s uncle, and the maid in the household got sick too. now everyone was sick besides me, of course. I knew I had infected them. I just refused to believe that I had. Typhoid is pretty common, not too hard to catch, I would tell myself. I was trying to make myself feel better. I like people, I don’t want to harm them, but I love cooking more, and I love money. I’m not good at much else. It’d be hard to find a job and something I’m not good at and I probably couldn’t afford to feed or house myself if I tried to find work elsewhere. I knew it just wouldn’t work. So I lied to myself and those around me. How could I have given anyone typhoid if I didn’t have it myself, right?
Wrong. See, I carry typhoid. The virus is in me, it just doesn’t effect me. The only way to give it to people is to handle their food. I’ve come to terms with it now but I never would have believed it back then.
So the sick family left to the hospital where they would stay until recovery, I wasn’t sure of how long that would take, all I know is that they informed me they would no longer need a personal chef. Being fired from my first job in America was difficult but I knew what needed to be done. I would find a new job, with a new family. Soon I received a letter from a family also located in New Jersey, the Werthingtons, offering a job. I immediately accepted and moved into their home.
They were a nice family. They greeted me and introduced me to their guest bedroom, my new bedroom. It was a comfortable life and I cooked three meals a day plus prepared snacks and went to the market to buy the ingredients. That day I was making a recipe for garlic chicken and needed to go out and buy the ingredients for it. I walked to the market through the streets of New Jersey. When I got there I found just the ingredients I needed and started on my journey home.
As I walked down the dark paths on my way home from picking up ingredients for tonight’s meal I thought about the last family I had worked for. I knew I had infected them with typhoid and now their son was dead, and each one of them is still sick in the hospital. It was all my fault and no one knew. No one but me. At least I hoped. It scared me to think of the possibility that someone might have any idea of what I had done. It was a possibility that someone out there knew. It’d have to be someone smart though, and I’ve found few smart people exist. As I pondered the thought of someone knowing about what I had done I started to walk a little faster, just wanting to get home to the new family I would soon infect. With each step I seemed to quicken my pace when I felt a hand grab my arm tightly. I screamed at this unwanted surprise and started to struggle.
“Shh.” I could hear a man say in a way that I assume was supposed to be comforting, but was anything but. “Let me go!” I demanded. At that he loosened his grip but still held on tightly enough that I wasn’t going to attempt an escape.
“Sorry, I really didn’t think this over before I decided to so harshly grab you. I simply wanted to talk to you about something.” He smiled a charming smile. I looked at his face and saw he looked about my age. He was very handsome actually, and his voice was soothing. He was a bit taller than me with dark hair and dark brown eyes.
“Well if you wanted to talk to me you could have only stopped me and asked to talk.”
I told him.
“Yes, I’m sorry. Let me start over. Ms. Mallon, could I speak with you?” He asked, sounding very polite.
“I suppose.” As I said this I now thought about what he could want to talk about. It’s not often men I’ve never seen before stop me on the street to have a conversation. Did he know something he shouldn’t? And how did he know my name?
“Ah, well, this probably isn’t the best time. I suppose you must be back soon to prepare dinner. Meet me tomorrow at the market, and we can talk then.”
I hesitated, not sure if it was completely safe to agree to meeting with this strange man, but I was far too curious now to refuse. “Tomorrow, then. 5:30.”
“Very well. Goodbye, Ms. Mallon.” He said as he walked the opposite direction of me. I watched him walk off for only a moment before continuing my walk home.
I couldn’t stop thinking about what he was going to say to me tomorrow. I was so frightened that he had found out my secret and wanted to blackmail me, or turn me in. If he were going to turn me in though why would he talk to me before hand? All of these thoughts and many more danced in my head as I prepared dinner.
“Ready!” I called to the family. Each of them bounded down the stairs and started to eat. I watched the family stuff their chicken into their faces, looking so healthy and happy. Their cheeks glowed a warm color and their smiles shined. I thought back to the last family I had infected. They looked like this too, before their skin lost all color and became dull and pale. Their eyes were dark as they gazed into space like I could only imagine a zombie would. Such life can fade so fast.
I decided to go to bed early that night. That way I would have lots of sleep for what was to come the next day. Not that I was sure I would need much sleep for that day, but it’s good to be safe. It took me awhile to fall asleep but finally after some tossing and turning I fell into a comfortable slumber.
The next morning I woke up and had the usual day. I prepared snacks and meals for the children and spent my time doing nothing very memorable. Mainly I just sat around anxiously. After a long day of staring at the clock I saw that it was finally 5:00. I decided to start walking to the market. I walked with anticipation and soon found myself in the place the man had stopped me yesterday.
“Hello, Ms. Mallon.” And apparently where he decided to meet me today. His familiar voice sounded from behind me.
“Oh, hello Mr., uhm.” My voice trailed off, as I did not know his name.
“Just, Thomas. You can call me Thomas.” He looked down at me and said, he was quite a bit taller than me.
“Hello, Thomas.” I greeted him.
“So, shall we discuss what we came to discuss?” He asked at we walked along the path to the market.
“I think that would be best.”
“Well, you see, I happen to beware of the fact that you carry typhoid, which I know you’re also aware of.” His calm voice startled me. He knew. He knew about the people I infected. What could he want?
“Wh-what are you talking about?” I tried to act like I didn’t know, but knew I wasn’t the best liar.
“Oh, Ms. Mallon, no need to worry. No need to lie, either. I’m not here to turn you in or anything like that. No, quite the opposite really. I’m here to offer you an additional job. A job where we would be partners.” I wasn’t sure how to take this. What kind of job would we want to offer me?
“What kind of job do you speak of?”
“Well you see, I work with a group of men who, well, are looking to get money. What faster way to get money than to rob the wealthy? What better way to rob the wealthy than to have them all leave their home? What better way to have them all leave their home than to make each of them sick and need to stay in the hospital a few days? I’m sure you can see where I’m going with this.” I couldn’t believe what he was saying. It was almost hard to take him seriously, at least it would be if it weren’t for his sincerity.
“Have you lost your mind? You want me to get them sick, and when they’re at the hospital leave your men to rob their house?” It sounded even crazier coming out of my own mouth.
“To put it simply, yes. Of course you’ll get a cut in the profits. About 25% I’d say.”
“I don’t care, I’m not a thief!”
“Exactly. We wouldn’t want you stealing anything. All you need to do it get them sick. You’re already doing that with every meal you make them. Plus, in the last family you infected, a little boy died. It’s not going to get much worse than that. Just take the job.” He sounded very convincing but I still wasn’t sure.
“What if we were discovered? The consequences aren’t worth the risk, right?”
“If that’s how you felt wouldn’t you have stopped cooking by now?” Thomas said, and I had no reply. We sat in the silence for a moment before he spoke once more, “Look, just think it over. If you do decide to accept my offer then meet me three days from now on the bridge on your way to the market.”
“I’ll think about it.”
“Until then, Ms. Mallon.” And with those words he stopped walking, turned, and proceeded the other way.
I then went to the market, bought what I needed, returned home, cooked. The ordinary routine. This is how the next three days went. I would do as I always did, thinking about Thomas’s offer all the while. Then Monday came, exactly three days since I had last spoken with him. It was time to start heading to the market. The bridge was just out of the way of the shortcut I usually took to get to the market. I made it to the place I would usually turn at to take the shortcut, but I kept walking straight towards the bridge. I really hadn’t made my decision, but my legs just seemed to bring me closer to the bridge with every step. When I got to the bridge Thomas was already there, surrounded by a couple other men, both clean shaven. Not at all how I would imagine a band of robbers.
“Ms. Mallon! Good to see you’ve joined us. I decided to bring the rest of the group. This is Harry.” He gestured to a tall light haired man with fair skin. “And Sam.” He now gestured to the shortest of three men standing in front of me. His hair was dark and he wore a hat.
“Nice to meet you both.” I said politely.
“Same to you.” Harry said and Sam nodded in agreement.
“So what have you decided upon? Would you like to work with us?” Thomas said, getting straight to the point.
I paused for a moment asking myself what I was going to tell him. Did I want to work with them? “Yes.” The word came out of my mouth unexpectedly and I tried to hide the panic that was happening inside my mind. Thomas smiled the same charming smile he had the first time we meant. “Great! Well then here is the plan. We will meet in the alley on the way to the market everyday. When we meet you will tell us if the family is starting to get sick. When they are we’ll tell you the plan from there.”
“Very well.” It sounded simple enough. I was starting not to regret accepting.
“For now, how about we walk you to the market. If we’re all going to work together best we get to know each other.” Thomas said and we all headed towards the market.
We had simple conversations and I learned that Thomas and his men meet at Thomas’s house often. I was also told that Harry is an incredibly smart man who studies diseases and such as a hobby. He was friends with a friend of the last family I had infected. His friend told him about how each of them had contracted typhoid, and he had apparently mentioned me. Harry thought about and decided I must of been a carrier of typhoid. Afterwards Harry came up with the plan to use me to their advantage and I was tracked down. This is how Thomas knew my name when we met.
Soon I had finished shopping at the market, and returned home. Over the next few days I watched the family, just waiting for them to get sick. Thomas came with me too the market everyday, occasionally bringing Sam, Harry, or them both. Two weeks had passed when finally Mr. Werthingtons had started coughing and looking pale. So that day I let Thomas know that within days the whole family would be sick.
“Aw, well then you’re probably wondering about the plan. Simple really, you leave it to us. Just let us know when they’re all out of the house. All you really need to do is start looking for new employment now.” I would be upset about this plan except I figured it was best that I wasn’t too involved.
“Okay.” I agreed.
“Oh, and by the way, if you need a place to stay between jobs you can stay with me.” This surprised me. Last time I just stayed in motel for a few nights hoping to find employment quickly.
“Thank you.”
“Of course, Ms. Mallon.”
“You can call me Mary, you know.”
“Of course, Mary.”
Within a few days, just as I had expected they were all very sick. They were all in the hospital and I let Thomas know. I gathered my stuff from the Werthingtons house and was now staying in Thomas’s house. He had me stay there when he, Sam, and Harry went to rob the house. I sat on on this couch, waiting for their return, being sure not to touch any of the food in his home. Sooner than I expected they walked through the door with luggage bags full of cash and things of value. They gave me my portion, which they promised me was 25% but I didn’t have the ambition to make sure..
Over the next few days I lived with Thomas. He had things to do most of the time but we talked often and I enjoyed his company. I felt safe when I was with him, and I didn’t want to leave, but I was soon hired by a new family, who I infected quickly and the men stole from them too. This happened three more times and I had enough money to not have to work for awhile. Of course I still did. I was working for another family when Harry delivered some unpleasant news. A man named George Soper had been looking into the sick families and found that many of them had something in common, me. Also the fact that many of them found missing items after their recovery.
Harry had heard about this from a friend of his and it was a disturbing thought to all of us. We figured we just had to try and be more careful somehow.
I was cooking dinner for another family when someone knocked on the door, asking for me. He was older looking man, he told me he was a reporter.
“Hi, I’m a reporter looking into the disease typhoid. I was hoping to ask you a few questions. My name is George Soper.” George Soper was here in front of me. Wanting to question me. I wasn’t sure if I should be calm or just run from him.
“What questions?” I decided to ask, curious as to what he could want to know.
“Well there are studies going on, suggesting that typhoid can be carried. It can be given to families through food.”
“And what are you suggesting, Mr. Soper?”
“Well it is believed that you could be a carrier of the disease.” How’d he know? I wasn’t sure what to say at this point.
“Really? How come I haven’t heard about this? If I’m a carrier I think I would know. I’m not interested in answering any of your questions. Good day, Mr. Soper.” After saying this I stepped inside the house again and closed the door. I was panicking. I had to tell Thomas and the others about this tomorrow.
So I did. The next day I told them the whole story and they said that the best thing to do was to get rid of George. “We’re not murderers!” I said almost bursting into tears. This wasn’t what I wanted to happen at all.
“Shh.” Thomas said just like he did when grabbed me in the alley, only this time I found it much more comforting. “It’ll be okay. You don’t have to take any part in it. I’m doing it to keep you safe, Mary. We can’t have anything happen to you. I can’t have anything happen to you.” He said, and brushed a piece of my hair behind my ear. I wasn’t sure what options I had at this point. I couldn’t speak.
“Okay.” I managed, and closed my eyes to let a tear fall down my face. He wiped it away and hugged me.
They planned on tracking George down the next, and I spent the day trying not to think about it. I met them on my way to the market that day and they told me they had already taken care of it. It took a lot but I kept from crying. I really didn’t want anyone to die.
I would of been upset but these boys were my friends now, my family even. I cared for them more than I had cared for anyone since I came to America. Especially Thomas. I believe that I have fallen in love with him, and that he feels the same.
I decided to tell him one day on the way to the market. “I love you Thomas, I really do.” I found the courage to say.
“I love you too, Mary.” He told me, and the emotion in his words was confirmation enough that we felt the same. I was extremely happy that day. That is, until there was a knock at the door. They asked for “Typhoid Mary.” They had to of known that I had typhoid then. I fought with them, telling them they were crazy and that I couldn’t have Typhoid. All the same they demanded a DNA sample to test for it. Within a day they confirmed that I had Typhoid, and told me I was going to be quarantined on an island of my own. I never heard of Thomas again and after that and came to live on my own island, where I have nothing to do but write, so that’s exactly what I’m doing. Just hoping for the day I can get back to being a cook.
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