Sales are Calvin's forte: retail, telemarketing, you name it.
"I worked for MCI for a while," he reflects. "That was probably my best job."
Born and raised in Charleston, W.Va., Calvin traveled across the country with a friend nearly nine years ago.
Seattle seemed like a good place to live, so they settled down.
Well, that was the plan. But without enough money to pay first month's rent plus a deposit, the two ended up in a roadside motel. Not exactly what you'd call home.
Scrambling to pay rent, Calvin found a solution on his doorstep: "I met some homeless people living out on Aurora... and they introduced me to Real Change, so I started selling it."
More than a source of income, Calvin says working at Real Change was "a way to introduce myself back into society."
As introductions were made, customers responded with offers of employment, from landscaping to working for Charlie's Produce.
But for now, he continues to work for Real Change. His strategy? "I like to sell at different markets because I like to see what's out there, see what's happening"
So if you meet Calvin selling Real Change, be sure to ask him "What's happening?" You may get news beyond what you read in the paper.