You might also consider whether you should dial back on how bubbly and open you are at the office and maybe err on the side of a vibe that says, "Talk to me about some boring work question!"

Yes! I think LW handled this pretty well except for this:

I started deflecting these prying questions back to him, and he told me that he lives only with his younger brother, so he understands me well.

Don't engage him (or anybody else that asks such prying questions). It doesn't matter that you're not answering him because you're still continuing the conversation. Take a page from both Amy and Miss Manners and answer a question you weren't asked. Example:

Boss: That's so hard to believe, why don't you have a boyfriend?
You: The new printer's actually easier to use than the old one now that I've figured out how to collate.

With the general population, I'd actually advise not saying anything except "Wow" and walking off, but that's not feasible at work. Keep to a vibe that tells him you won't play his game but that gives him no reason to complain about you being withdrawn or "not a team player."

And definitely shop around for a job where you don't have to contort yourself like Mister Fantastic just to get through the day.

Men are not as verbal as women are. Don't assume that someone is prying when they might just be looking for a way to relate to you.

Could be he was trying to determine if you were likely to stay for a while, or on your way to something else.

I have been lied to for no reason at all other than the person telling the lie was uncomfortable with the truth.

So, what happened to your last job, where the boss was an ethical kind of guy?
Something else wrong with that job?

NumberSix is correct. Bring the topic back to work by asking a work related question, and getting the topic off of either of your personal lives.
Deflection is the art of steering the subject away from things that make either one of you uncomfortable without getting your back up.

When I'd go to leave, he'd say, "Sit down! You have nowhere to be!"

She needs to find another job.

I am the LW!

Ppen, really? Dang. You know, I thought this type of rude-boss-overwhelmed-employee scenario was a thing of the past. I guess I've been pretty lucky when it comes to being employed lately. I mean, I encountered what you're going through back in the 80s, and I was uppity enough (and the economy was good enough) that I would just quit that job and go get another. Can't do that these days, it seems. But good luck to you! I think you're doing the right thing, but I would keep a record of things just the same, maybe write it all down, and show it to someone you trust, who can date and initial it or something. (That's what the scientists I work with do, when they're doing experiments and animal testing. They write it all down, and have another scientist vet it by reading it and initialing it. Then there's a record of it that can't be refuted.)

Sounds like her boss is looking for an affair. I agree that it might be worthwhile to document his behavior if it appears he's going to persist. Someone stupid enough to lie to you about things that are common knowledge may lack the sense to restrain themselves as well

Well, Ppen, I hope you find another job, and that you have a decent boss.

I was especially put off by the comment that, because you're single, you have nowhere to be. Single people have lives, too. And things that we enjoy doing with our time off. Just because we're not living under the requirement of being at home with our families at a certain time, it doesn't follow that we have nowhere to be.

I really hate to hear these types of stories. It makes men look like shit and these bozos who are doing it have no idea how uncomfortable it is making the women that work for them. You shouldn't fucking feel uncomfortable when you go to work. For fuck's sake, that's where you spend most of your time. I have to believe that it is out of sheer ignorance and stupidity and that they have no idea what it is doing to their team.

I'm in an industry that has, until lately, been dominated by men. Within the last maybe two years, I've been shocked to see that nearly half the folks I have working for me are young, pretty, women. Frankly, I was worried about this at first. Will there be unwelcome drama involved?

No. There hasn't been. In fact, these young women have been fantastic workers and all of the men, a lot of them also young, have been nothing but respectful and professional with them. In fact, our shop was singled out in a recent climate assessment survey as the best shop to work for as a woman. Anonymous quotes from the survey went along the lines of, "I love working in whistleDick's department, I'm shocked at the stories I hear from coworkers in other departments and I don't envy those women at all."

To guys in management positions: you can give the old college try at putting your dick into anything you want. Don't try to do it to the women that are very busy every day trying to make your dumb ass look good. It's hard work and they're doing it well. For God's sake, don't fuck with them.

Start by squashing the shit out of any comments about so-and-so's tits. Yeah, they're nice tits, but that's none of your business and nor is it any of the business of your male counterparts. As a fellow man, you can feel these comments coming on. You know this. Just smile as you wave your hand dismissively and say, "Dude, no." This tells all the guys in very few words, "Yeah, I've noticed. She has a fantastic rack. That's not going to be said out loud."

That's all it takes! No legal action, no bullshit. It also tells your male workers, "These women are to be respected and they're going to be equal members of this team." You'd be very surprised to find out how far that goes. The men respect it and, therefore, they work harder for you. The men feel more professional.

The women don't know what has happened, but they know that they feel respected and comfortable working for the team. They'll bend over backwards to make you look good. Here's another plus, you get to enjoy her bubbly and uninhibited personality on a professional level and the team thrives. Real relationships form without some wall that is put up between men and women who are trying to fuck one another. You get to know the actual person and you now know way more about the real capabilities of each and every member of the team that is trying their best to MAKE YOU LOOK GOOD. LET THEM MAKE YOU LOOK GOOD!

I suppose that was quite a rant. But, for fuck's sake, what are these asshole managers thinking? Give your female employees the right environment, and they will do incredible shit. All you have to do is not be a fucking pig. You're missing out on a great resource.

I LOVE WHISTLEDICK YES YES YES WHAT HE SAID (caps for emphasis AND SHOUTING TO THE HEAVENS) YES OH YES I SAID YES

Thread WIN, whistleDick! Thread WIN!

"I am the LW!"

So much for being excessively bubbly. I'm just teasing you, Ppen; I'll bet that secretly you're the most optimistic person here. Seriously, I think you're handling this situation pretty well. The only thing I can add is what others have said: if you're stuck and you can't just tell the guy to piss off, try to keep turning the conversation back to work topics.

Well, now you have to let us know when your fortunes improve, Ppen. Either by getting a better job, or your sleaze of a boss getting transferred to Burma.

Go, WhistleDick! Well done.

Thank you all!

I actually quit the job and found another. I got paid monthly at that particular job and he asked that I come by and pick up my check for a last goodbye.

"Nope! Just mail it to me thanks"

The owner was upset with me and I didn't tell him my manager lied about having a wife and kid. BTW the wife is related to the owner (makes things even grosser huh?).

Good for you, Ppen!! Yay!!

Way to go Ppen!

And whistledick wins the internets!

Luckily this behavior is dying out with the generation that got away with it. congratulations on the new job and on dealing with this cleanly.

I commend Amy for not recommending legal action, the courts take "hostile work environment" typically to mean quid pro quo situations - like if you don´t do him he retaliates in a way that damages you financially, professionally - something tangible - this as described does not really rise to that level. Its just inappropriate, rude, I suspect "testing" and this type of boss is not gonna get great work from his people. Happens this verbal harassment female to male frequently, and female to female, male to male. Its wrong, not illegal in most cases.

Whistle dick you never cease to amaze me! Thank you for giving a solid, balanced (and just awesome) rant!

is anyone else freaked out that Flynne's friends do animal testing?
ack!
I have probably signed a petition or two hundred against whoever they work for (for the big fat lot that does other than make me feel slightly better)

Linny, they are co-workers, but I'm sorry you feel that way. They only test on rats and mice, and they're working on treatments for osteoporosis and pulmonary arterial hypertension. Many wonderful treatments for various diseases have been discovered via animal testing. I hope you're totally drug free and don't use any OTC medicines, either, because I'm sure it would also freak you out that they were created via animal testing.

I can't believe no one has said this,

Whistledick for President!

Seriously WD there is a multigazillion dollar seminar in what you said. Build it sell it to businesses! Keep changing the world!

Awesome job, wD!

And it fits: if hell hath no fury, etc., then it follows that the same fury can be channeled to get the impossible done.

It doesn't have to be finding a pink Rambler!

Just one clarification before I vote for Whistledick for president...WD, you keep saying, "these women are trying to make you look good." Does that mean they are in support roles? You call them equals, but keep stressing that they are trying to make the men look good.