I am well

I work with a man who is by far one of the smartest people I have ever encountered.  I've noticed how smart he is because he talks a lot about sciences: the chemical properties of things, astronomy, physics, and he even quizzes me for my biology classes.  I am not saying that only smart people talk about science, but it's tough stuff.  Since I do not currently work in a scientific field, I often wonder why he isn't off somewhere else, doing something great with all of his knowledge…

Every morning, I tell him good morning as he passes my office, and we exchange "how are you(s)."  Grammatically, I know that the correct answer to "How are you?" is, "I am well."  Not, "I'm good," or just  "good."  The reason?  The question is asking about one's condition, not their behavior.  Make sense?

Anyway, every time I ask him, "how are you doing?"  He replies, "I am well, how are you?" (He never uses a contraction or shortcut, always proper English).  Even though I know better, how do I typically reply?  "I'm good, thanks."  Sometimes I'll say, "I'm doing alright, thanks."  It is just habbit I guess.

Today, I decided I was going to show off my smarts and answer correctly.  Then as it came out, I tried to stop it because it just sounded so stupid; but it was too late... He said, "I am well, how are you?"  To which I replied, "I am well, as well."

*Facepalm*