Hey, DD, contrary to all you see on TV, wich likes to portray love as only for the young, there's plenty of true lovin' (and heartbreakin') goes on in the postmenopausal set! For all we know, Barbara Allen and William might as easily have been fifty-somethings. I don't recall any of the numerous versions of the ballad that I've heard mentioning their ages...

And as for Genie's splendid rewrite, I still say huzzah! Exactly what I had in mind (though I couldn't have begun to do such a great job myself, which is why I started this thread). Thanks again, Genie!
Kathy