I figured it out finally. When entering the 1099 NEC, there is an extra screen in TT (App) where you have several options which TT says are rare. the one that worked was (not, Greg has a farm, or other there but:)
"This is not money earned as an employee of self-employed individual, it is form sporadic activity or hobby..."
That "deleted" the Schedule C (and all the questions that go with that). And it actually increased my Refund a bit! 🙂 I think it made it basically fit under "Other Income."
THANKS for your help.
