KallMeKris

met his optimism with disapproval and grief, shutting his son out of his life for bringing shame upon the family.

So this was just yet another crushing blow, a quote unquote,

failure to him in his life.

So as if the pain of losing his job, marriage, and kids wasn't enough, he was now basically disowned from his own family, which is a sentiment that potentially fueled his later teachings.

So Marshall would then return to Texas with a new resolve to build his life.

And he would secure a job as chairman of the music department at the University of St.

Thomas.

And he was back in his element now.

And students saw him as stylish, charismatic,

and a good teacher that was able to make music come alive from them.

And he became quite popular locally as a singer, directing an Episcopal choir and performing with the Houston Grand Opera in secondary role.

So stability seemed to have returned to Marshall, and he even began living as openly gay for a time.

But with welcoming the Houston gay scene into his life, he still struggled with sex and relationships internally.

which led him to start dating a young woman again.

But allegedly facing pressure from her family, she ended things with Marshall.

And the breakup devastated him.

And to make matters worse, that breakup combined with the guilt and tension he felt from his relationships with men, stemming from his religious upbringing, and created a push-pull in his sexual life that tormented him.

And Marshall allegedly confided with a lover that he desired to have a quote, sexless devotion, passion without physical entanglements, unquote.

So this longing for a love that transcended his personal sexuality was yet another sentiment that fueled his later beliefs, as we'll see.

And in a stroke of luck, another chance presented itself for Marshall to achieve his performance dreams when he landed lead baritone in the opera, The Ballad of Baby Doe in 1970.