I don't think there's anything wrong with your approach at work. The workplace can be a risky place when it comes to getting personal with people. Being polite and professional is usually the best way to go, and it sounds like that is how you roll at work. If you had a hard time talking at all, and people felt like you were being anti-social or something, that might be a different story, but it sounds like you balance it perfectly. Also the head manager was being an irresponsible dumb@ss.