When we were growing up, there were many times when we annoyed our parents but hopefully, only a couple in which we genuinely made them scared for our well-being.
Usually, this was the result of staying out far later than we expected to and having enough fun in a loud enough place that we didn't hear their attempts to reach us. In the case of my poor mom, both my dad and myself have accidentally put her through that on separate occasions.
And when that happens, it's hard not to feel guilty after we see how deeply we had worried them and heard how close they were to calling the police after us.
But as we're about to see from one story that saw a concerned wife actually take that step, it's hard but apparently not impossible.