Some of Shuttle Astronauts’ Work Will Be Child’s Play

--There will be times when the next shuttle flight, set tentatively for early next month, will resemble a kindergarten play period. The seven space travelers, including Sen. Jake Garn, (R-Utah), and scientist Patrick Baudry of the French air force, will be taking 10 children’s toys as part of a science documentary on the effects of weightlessness. The toys include jacks, a Slinky, a wind-up mouse and a yo-yo. But one thing that won’t be on board for the four-day mission is a trivia game. Commander Karol Bobko says that’s because crewman Jeffrey Hoffman, who holds a Ph.D. in astrophysics from Harvard, is too tough. “(He) is the worst person in the world to play,” Bobko said, because he knows something about everything.

--Prince Andrew, second son of Queen Elizabeth II, celebrated his 25th birthday--and can now marry without his mother’s permission. Under the 1772 Royal Marriages Act, no member of the royal family can marry before the age of 25 without permission of the Crown.

--Entertainer Jerry Lee Lewis was listed in satisfactory condition at Methodist Hospital in Memphis, Tenn., apparently undergoing treatment for recurring shoulder pain. Hospital spokeswoman Dot Work confirmed the 49-year-old performer was admitted Feb. 11 but refused to reveal the nature of his ailment or how long he is expected to be hospitalized. However, a local television station quoted Lewis’ wife, Kerri, as saying he was undergoing routine tests for his persistent shoulder ailment.

--The person who stole his 1975 Chevrolet pickup truck can take it again, as far as Kelly Terrell is concerned. Terrell, whose truck was taken from a De Witt, Mich., shopping mall in December, has just got the vehicle back, and he thanks the thief very much for his thoughtfulness. Terrell told police he had received a call from a stranger who lectured him about his truck’s poor condition when he took it. The stranger then told Terrell he could find the pickup in the parking lot where it had been stolen. When Terrell arrived at the lot, he found his truck and a three-page list of repairs made by the thief. In addition to sanding and painting the pickup, the unknown person performed body work and made a number of mechanical repairs. “It is not a practical joke,” Terrell said. “I have no idea who the man is. It is all very strange, but that man can steal my vehicle any time he wants to.”