You can always call/chat with Apple ID support. They are likely better equipped to solve this than the t-shirt crew in your local store.
replyHow do you call / chat w/ AppleID support without logging in first?
replyOr rather... thank you for the suggestion. I'm going to dig into the docs on their web page and see if there's a way to contact support w/o having to log in first.
[edit: After a bit of digging around, as best I can tell, I have to log in with an AppleId before I can post a question in the support forums about how to reset my AppleId.]
Let me also say I am truly grateful for the time you took to respond to this message. If I sound gruff, it's because the situation is so bizarre and a little frustrating. Please don't take this to mean I'm unappreciative.
replyOh wait. You said "call." Does Apple have a support phone number?
replydeleted
replysupport.apple.com
replySure, but I was asking about a phone number where I can call and talk to a human who may have more experience in these matters.
replyThe first thing support.apple.com asks me to do (when I want to post a question) is to ask me to log in with my AppleId. My problem is that the AppleId that has always worked in the past no longer seems to work and when I try to create a new one, it says my mobile phone number is invalid.