The Venturers (Henry)
Two men, Forster and Ives, met by chance and decided to dine together at a fancy hotel without any money to pay for their meal. They agreed that the loser of a coin toss would face the consequences of not paying the bill. As they enjoyed their dinner, they discussed their shared desire for adventure and the unknown, lamenting the predictability of modern life.
Forster lost the coin toss, but when the bill arrived, he simply signed it, revealing that he was a regular at the hotel and always signed his checks. Ives then confessed that he owned the hotel, and they both laughed at the irony of their situation. They agreed to meet again for dinner the following week.
In the meantime, Forster decided to break off his engagement and travel the world in search of adventure. He believed that the monotony of married life would never satisfy his desire for the unknown.
I am going to knock around the world and get rid of that incubus that has been weighing on both you and me—the terrible dread of knowing what’s going to happen.
When he met with Ives again to share his decision, Ives revealed that he had found the ultimate adventure: he had married Forster's former fiancée, Mary Marsden.
Ives believed that marriage was a journey without a map or compass, full of uncertainty and excitement, and he was eager to embark on this new adventure with Mary.