“We do not want what’s good for us”

“We do not want what’s good for us” is a brief reflection that follows a dinner scene and gives its contrasting appetites an interpretive edge. Rather than stating a general lesson apart from the action, the line arrives after the narrator’s unexpected enjoyment of his meal and Tony Coniglia’s particular request for a taste.

The Dinner-Table Context

Bodie Pie leaves as the meals arrive. The narrator finds that he has an excellent appetite for his prime rib; Tony picks at his trout, then asks to taste the narrator’s dinner. When the narrator starts to carve off a portion, Tony clarifies that he wants only the fat. The line follows this small exchange, making an ordinary difference in appetite the scene’s point of departure.

Meaning and Contrast

The expression frames the meal as a contrast between what is available and what each person chooses. The narrator welcomes the prime rib, while Tony selects a single part of it rather than the portion being offered. The sentence broadens that moment into a claim about wanting: what is desirable does not necessarily coincide with what is good for someone. In this immediate context, that idea is carried by the action at the table, not explained as a rule for every choice.

Narrative Function

Placed after the meal’s arrival and Tony’s request, the line acts as a concise coda to the scene. Its collective phrasing turns a particular exchange into a reflective observation, while its position keeps that observation tied to concrete behavior. The result is a modest, pointed irony: the dinner offers a fuller meal, but Tony’s preference narrows to the part he specifically wants.