In the gripping old-time radio drama Life Ends at Midnight, we are introduced to Walter Bates, a troubled man returning to his mother’s cramped apartment on Mother's Day. The atmosphere is thick with tension as Walter, who has been absent for six months, arrives with a dark secret and a desperate need for money. His mother, Mrs. Bates, portrayed as a kind yet weary woman, is filled with a mix of joy and concern upon seeing her son again. She is anxious about his well-being, sensing that something is amiss. Walter, however, is determined to mask his true intentions, creating a facade of casualness that belies the urgency of his situation.