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Living Paycheck to Paycheck Made Leaving Impossible

Hurricane Katrina survivor Paul Metzler pulls his boat along Paris Street in Chalmette, about seven miles east of New Orleans. Rescuers have begun scouring the community for survivors.
Hurricane Katrina survivor Paul Metzler pulls his boat along Paris Street in Chalmette, about seven miles east of New Orleans. Rescuers have begun scouring the community for survivors. (By Jason Reed -- Reuters)
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West said he has never owned a credit card -- not even before the fire. He said he figures $500 was the most money he could have come up with on such short notice, with the hurricane bearing down.

"And that would have come from my daddy. But he's always been skeptical about giving me any money. And his people got money! He could have given me $1,000, and it wouldn't have hurt him."

So he did not even ask, instead lowering his economic aim by simply wishing he could get his $340 monthly check.

"My mother and father don't even know if I'm alive or dead."

There were a few lucky souls yesterday sitting at the Shoney's restaurant on State Highway 30 in Gonzales. Karen Lavalais, 37, and a friend, Patricia Jones, 39, and various relatives.

"I only work part time at a janitorial service," Jones said. "I make $6.00 an hour. If I didn't have my mama, I'd be one of those victims still trapped in New Orleans."

She works 17 hours a week.

"I had $80 when I got out of New Orleans," Jones said. "And I wouldn't have had that if payday hadn't been that Friday. Eighty dollars with two children."

Lavalais, who formerly lived in the 10th Ward, said that when the hurricane struck she had a total of $94 in the bank, which constituted her life savings.

"And I couldn't even get to that," she said. "So thank goodness I had some gas in my car."


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