>I do appreciate the recommendation to try downloading an alternate combo class that someone has been kind enough to develop and share! It just frustrates me that after all the versions of VFP (3 thru 9), that such an important native class does not work as the masses would expect... And that I just happen to pick it on the very forst form I try to design as a newbie :(

That's what happens with newbies. You immediately hit something quirky, no matter what you do, and no matter which language is it. I've been finding things like this in almost anything I used - so don't worry, it's not you, it's a law of the universe as such. And actually the only other quirky thing is the grid. Since you managed to get a combo in a grid on your first form, you've obviously taken a huge leap towards the status of Old Fox :).