Let's call him A (for Adventure
) he's around 50, a good technician, will never have a problem finding a job, right now he's up for technical manager at his company with one other candidate and feeling increasingly stressed. He and his wife used to do a lot of hiking, and he wants to quit the job and go hiking for a month in the mountains to re-set his head. The route he's looking at has scattered villages but there would also be some nights they'd have to camp out.
His wife, a full-time housewife, takes a little persuading. She leaves all the route-planning and arrangements up to him but finds out all the kit they will need, buys it, packs it, and sorts their iron rations. They’ll be limited to a 40kg load – it is understood he will carry the 30kg backpack, she the 10kg one. He will pitch the tent on the nights they sleep out, sort the campsite (including lighting the fire), she will cook nutritious meals, make chunky sandwiches for each following day, and warm his sleeping bag at night. She's genuinely looking forward to it.
Or
His wife is completely up for it, and gets her employers to agree she can take the month off. They study the route together, shop together, and will carry equal 20kg packs. They’ll share all the chores and take it in turns to lead the climb, and since good sleep is essential, they will pitch their tents alongside each other on the nights they sleep out
Or
She tells him he’s insane and simply reacting to stress at the office. If he ducks out now he will never recover the ground he’s about to lose, all the time he has invested in his career so far will be put back years. She suggests instead that he go for a weekend hike with a friend from his climbing group.
Or
She says oh, okay, when will you go? Enjoy yourself!
Which wife would he want – and, maybe a different answer, which wife does he need?
(For those who think I use CS only for book research, yes and no - this isn't a book in the making but yup, genuinely interested in what people think)