When a bullet strikes the car in which one is riding, the sound -- a sharp, metallic "WHAP!" -- is unmistakable. This writer has heard it twice in his life, and I hope the second time will be the last.
Not all of my experiences with firearms have been like that. My dad, an army officer, gave me a Remington .22 caliber rifle for my eighth birthday. He taught me how to load, aim and shoot, and instructed me in gun safety. So I never shot myself. Or anybody else.
Guns pretty much ceased to be a part of my life when I came to Japan. In fact, I don't recall ever having heard a gun being fired in this country -- except maybe the starting pistols used at undokai (school athletic meets) held each Sports Culture Day at the local primary school.