Ralph McNeely, my great-uncle, made a living as a wallpaper hanger, despite a serious loss of hearing. He was retired by the time I came along, but did a job for my parents in the early 1970's. For some reason, they wanted the bathroom wall to have a black and pink floral pattern, which also had little flecks of gold spangled throughout. Even as a small child, I thought it was hideous. But the workmanship was quite good. The paper was hung evenly, and the pattern matched up along the edges…