At this point, no question is silly!
I've been searching & trying everything possible. Yes, both have a fresh charge. Headset is typically same side as phone, though for troubleshooting I've tried other combinations. I've even tried the "re-pair at a distance" suggestion from one of the threads.
But, no, I have not yet tried contacting RIM directly. Guess that's my next move.
Thanks for the reply!!