SYNOPSIS:

EXT. CROSSROADS - COURTYARD - DAY (PRESENT DAY) Paul at a picnic table, deep in thought. JOHN (30’s), a fellow addict, joins him. He is tall, thin and weathered beyond his years. His long, straight brown hair falls past his shoulders. JOHN How goes the “searching and fearless moral inventory?” PAUL This being honest with myself is getting ugly. JOHN It looks like it. You look like shit, man. Without malice, Paul flips him off. PAUL I’ve hurt a lot of people in my life. I didn’t really want to. I didn’t even know I was most of the time. Somewhere inside I knew it was wrong. But it’s like I’ve had an argument going on in my head. It’s like - I don’t know, a part of my mind condoning my sins and debating with some kind of intuitive morality. The condoning part’s the loudest. 87. JOHN I’ve been on the losing side of that debate before. Your mind can justify anything. You gotta turn the volume up on the intuitive morality part and recalibrate your moral compass. PAUL I never thought I might be doing damage to society. Never entered my mind until I had my own family. Then I wanted to keep them safe from people like me. JOHN Stick with it man - brutal honesty. The results can blow your mind.

THE 4TH STEP