When a Pronoun Lacks a Nominal Antecedent

What is Truth? That old unanswered question. I know when I'm telling a lie though. I lie not. There I was minding my own business, making myself a complimentary cup of coffee in the hotel lobby when this man leaves his seat and stands right next to me, glaring. "Where is she?" He wore a workman's knitted skull cap. He pierced me with steely blue eyes. He was tall and strongly built. I was about to say "Who is she?" but thought better of it. He'd think I was questioning his judgment in posing such a question. "I've been looking for her over a year now." I thought I should say something reassuring. "Just wait a little. She'll soon be back." "Who do you bloody well think you are? What gives you the right to say such a thing?" "Nothing personal," I blurted. "Nothing personal. I took "she" to refer generically to all womankind." I think it took him four seconds to ingest my words, by which time I had vanished down a corridor.