David and Dad didn’t get along too well growing up. I mean we all got along, but it was harder on David, because David wasn’t going to be the son that Dad wanted. But now they’re like best friends.

Amy Sedaris reflects on a common family dynamic: a child who does not fit a parent’s expectations can experience disproportionate friction, even when the household is broadly functional. By singling out David’s experience, she suggests that parental approval is often conditional on conformity to an imagined role (“the son that Dad wanted”), and that mismatch can shape a sibling’s sense of belonging. The closing turn—“now they’re like best friends”—emphasizes the possibility of reconciliation over time, as parents and children renegotiate identity and acceptance in adulthood. The quote’s emotional arc moves from strain to warmth, implying that understanding can arrive belatedly but meaningfully.