My husband and I have never considered divorce... murder sometimes, but never divorce.

Delivered as a wry, hyperbolic joke about long marriage, the line contrasts the socially “final” act of divorce with the fleeting, private anger spouses may feel. By saying “murder sometimes,” Brothers signals that irritation and even violent fantasies can arise in intimate life—yet those moments are not the same as a settled intention to end the relationship. The humor depends on exaggeration and taboo, but the underlying point is that commitment often means enduring conflict without treating separation as the default solution. It also reflects a mid-to-late 20th‑century marriage ideal in which staying together is framed as a virtue, even while acknowledging the emotional strain that can accompany it.