In the sun room, some men were comparing notes on the most American thing they'd done lately.

"This is the most American thing, a standard shape," he said.

To me, that seemed like more of an American thing than going into the military.

It was decided loudly that American cultural things didn't count.

"This is just the most American thing you can do."

That would be a very American thing to do.

In fact, the station chief warned, few things American were.

The only American thing to do is give the other guy a dose of his own medicine.

"They are four of the only American things in the house."

This was not a place where quintessentially American things happened.