Fuzzy Side Up

I just finished up the beginnings of my new website.  It has been a lot of fun creating and I am glad I finally did it.
"Fuzzy side up" is a comment an electrician made to me on a job site 16 years ago.  We were working on the same project in a doctors office.  He was on a ladder above me making some connections and I was on the floor below trimming in the new carpet.
It had recently occurred to me that carpet installers are physically the lowest trade on the job site (or ladder, or totem pole).  While carpet crews are crawling around on the floor, painters, electricians, plumbers and roofers are on their feet, their ladders, or the roof enjoying the weather and the view.  Everybody is always looking "down" on the carpet installers.  
The electrician above me joked, "carpet installation is like laying sod, fuzzy side up."
I have a lot of respect for sod installers, but i think that carpet installation is much harder.  It takes a lot of experience and confidence to put a knife to a $10K roll of imported woven pattern wool carpet.
Carpet mechanics are tragically under compensated and disrespected.  How many times have you seen a home center advertise "$39 whole house carpet installation" or "Free carpet installation?"  Do you really think quality carpet mechanics work for free.  Television commercials show crews in pressed collared shirts seemingly unroll a room of carpet and pack up their tools (after all, they are carpet "layers" right?... as though all you do is "lay" it down an then go fishing).  Other companies offer "same day installation" as if they have crews sitting on the loading dock waiting for your call (shouldn't you be concerned that good, competent mechanics are not usually just sitting around).  I know the electrician was joking, but I had been struggling with my identity as a carpet installer and expressing the expertise the trade requires
As the electrician's comment worked its way through my consciousness, his wrist connected with the hot end of a 220 volt wire and he fell to the floor beside me.
He was alright, but I felt much better.