[Ari]

I wish I could find the short story this all reminds me of. In it guns are everywhere and people have taken the idea that 'everyone gets shot once" Literally and thus put all their children in bullet proof vests for that inevitable day they will get shot, maybe a classmate, maybe a mailman, maybe another toddler. "Where's your vest" replaces "Don't forget your coat." Bigger/nicer vests have become part of coming of age celebrations. In it the protaganist ends up having a freak out and shooting herself in the vest protected chest in attempt to alleviate the fear of the day she will get shot.