Clayton County business owner creates jobs for some of the former ‘water boys’

Caleb Fulks says the first time he encountered it, he knew there had to be a better way.

“I immediately jumped in and was like, what can I do,” Fulks told Channel 2′s Berndt Petersen on Friday.

It was along the interstate entrance and exit ramps in Atlanta.

He met some of the “water boys” as they were called. Youths who sold bottled water to passing motorists.

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To some it was a very controversial way for teens to make a buck, so Fulks came up with an alternative.

“Pressure washing involves water,” Fulks said.  “So why not use water in another method to make a legitimate income?”

Fulks started a business called Real Motion. He provides local teens with summer jobs. He wants to keep them off the highway by day, and off the streets by night.

“It’s a cooler job for the summer. Stay out of trouble. Make a little money,” 17-year-old Car Wash Attendant David Roberts said.

Fulks and his crew started pressure washing homes and driveways two years ago. Now they’re washing and detailing cars, and a spot along State Road 138 in Riverdale is the new home base.

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Fulks is not just the owner. He has now become a mentor.

“I’m teaching perseverance for one. Perseverance.  Good attitude.  Drive. These kids just need a chance.  Once you know that you want better, you start ‘doing’ better,” Fulks said.

Fulks says the next goal for Real Motion is to invest in more equipment. He wants to store the power washers in trailers around the city, and the young people who work with him will run the operations.

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