One of the supervisors who works for me spoke to me thusly at the end of a meeting of all supervisors, the manager, and me: "When are you going to retire and make some room so that one of us can promote up?" said very seriously.

Normally, mild-mannered me would laugh self-deprecatingly or at the strongest say something like, "Well, when I'm ready and I'm not ready yet." Or, "When the economy improves." Offering an excuse when no explanation is needed for personal choices.

Instead, I said in voice equal in volume to his, "That's MY bidness (business)."

He said, "Don't take it personal. It was a joke."

I said, "It is personal. It's my business when I retire."

He said, "Jeeezus Christ!" almost a curse.

And I said (knowing that he is a devout Baptist), "Do not take the Lord's name in vain." And walked out of the room. My own religious beliefs aside, I do not tolerate hypocrites gladly. Or at all.

His fellow devout Christian coworkers have spoken to him, so I understand.

But I owe him an apology for speaking up for myself and for using his own words and beliefs against him, stepping out of my cultural matrix into his.