Relic Radio Thrillers: “The Nelson Walker Entry” (Diary Of Fate) — Episode Summary

Main Theme / Purpose This episode from Diary of Fate (aired March 6, 1948, replayed Nov 14, 2025 by Relic Radio) tells the suspenseful story of Nelson Walker, a drifter whose life spirals into crime and ultimately doom after a series of seemingly trivial events. The narration guides listeners through fate’s intricate hand, demonstrating how minor twists and chance encounters can lead a person to disaster. The lurid tale blends noir, irony, and morality in classic Old Time Radio style.

Key Discussion Points & Plot Breakdown

1. Fate’s Introduction and the Power of Small Events
Diary of Fate narrator sets the stage:

• “Fate plays no favorite. It could happen to you...little things are the tools with which I work.” (00:46-01:47)
  The story revolves around Nelson Walker, a man shaped by trivial details that collectively push him toward ruin.

2. The Initial Turn of Fate: Missed Flight

• Nelson, a rootless drifter, is delayed by a train crossing, causing him to miss his original flight to Honolulu. (03:30)
• Fate intervenes with a last-minute reservation due to another passenger’s cancellation, placing Nelson on Flight 21. (04:48)

3. The Temptation: $75,000 and a Stranger Named Rick

• At the airport, Nelson overhears talk of a $75,000 transaction.
• Onboard the new flight, Nelson is seated next to a man named Enrico “Rick” Gage, who is transporting the money for a jewel deal. Small talk leads to revelations about Rick’s occupation and the lucrative job at hand. (06:40-08:15)
• Nelson notices Rick’s briefcase and a Royal Palm Jewelers business card, learning valuable information about Rick’s courier task. (08:45-09:20)

4. Disaster and First Act of Deceit

• The plane crash-lands in Honolulu. Rick dies because he did not fasten his seat belt. (12:35)
• Amid the chaos, Nelson impulsively takes Rick’s briefcase and wallet, then assumes Rick’s identity.
  Quote: “I’m Enrico Gage. That dead man in there was riding next to me. His name is Walker. Nelson Walker.” (13:22)

5. A Dangerous Impersonation

• Nelson checks into Rick’s hotel and completes the jewel transaction, receiving a case of pearls worth $75,000 from Everett Ralston. (15:01)
• Tension mounts as each step exposes Nelson to discovery.

6. “A Torn Paper Bag”: Chance Reunion and a Blackmail Plot

• Nelson helps a woman with torn bags, only to realize it’s his old flame, Trudy Masters. Their interaction is loaded with suspicion and flirtation. (16:45)
• Trudy quickly catches Nelson’s lie about how he arrived; she discovers Nelson is posing as Gage, and blackmails him for $10,000. (19:51-21:30)

7. Murder and Desperation

• Nelson desperately arranges a late-night meeting at the airport hangar to pay off Trudy, but ends up strangling her to silence her threat. (22:06-22:35)
• In panic, he flees as the alarm is raised.

8. Fatal Escape in a Crate

• Nelson hides in an Air Express cargo crate aboard a departing plane, using Rick’s earlier musings as inspiration for escape. (23:46)
• As the plane faces a storm, the crew begin jettisoning cargo, including the crate concealing Nelson. (24:35-28:20)
• Symbolic irony: Just as Nelson choked the life from Trudy, he suffocates to death inside the crate when the plane climbs to high altitude and oxygen thins.

9. Fate’s Moral—The Web of Small Decisions

• Fate closes the story, highlighting how “a delay in a railroad crossing, a last minute ticket cancellation, a dropped calling card,” and a torn paper bag collectively sealed Nelson’s doom. (28:50)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Fate plays no favorite. It could happen to you...little things are the tools with which I work.” — Fate (00:46)
• “You now sat next to a man with $75,000. The man you had overheard in the airport restaurant.” — Fate, as Nelson realizes the opportunity (08:10)
• “I’m Enrico Gage. That dead man in there was riding next to me. His name is Walker. Nelson Walker.” — Nelson, committing to the deception (13:22)
• “Each instance of your impersonation was a moment of danger...” — Fate, foreshadowing Nelson’s downfall (15:16)
• “Luxury liners from the mainland only come in once a week… I checked the airline—found out that an old friend of ours killed a man named…” — Trudy, catching Nelson in a lie (20:35)
• “Never mind that. Where’s the money?” — Nelson, showing his desperation as he confronts Trudy (22:15)
• “As Nelson Walker choked the breath of life from Trudy Masters, so the means of his escape stifled him...to ultimate death.” — Fate, summarizing Nelson’s poetic justice (28:40)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:46 — Fate introduces Nelson Walker’s case and fate’s motif
• 03:30 — Nelson is delayed by a train; missed flight
• 04:48 — Receives a lucky last-minute flight due to cancellation
• 06:40 — Nelson overhears about the $75,000 at the airport
• 08:45 — Rick’s calling card reveals the deal
• 12:35 — Plane crash; Rick dies; Nelson assumes Rick’s identity
• 13:22 — Nelson gives his name as Enrico Gage
• 15:01 — Nelson completes pearls transaction with Ralston
• 16:45 — Nelson runs into Trudy Masters
• 19:51 — Trudy confronts Nelson’s lies
• 21:56 — Trudy blackmails Nelson; airport hangar meeting set
• 22:35 — Nelson murders Trudy
• 23:46 — Nelson hides in cargo crate; Air Express escape attempt
• 24:35-28:20 — Plane faces storm; Nelson’s crate is ejected; suffocates
• 28:50 — Fate’s conclusion: recap and moral

Tone and Language

• Narration is grave, dramatic, moralizing; voice acting is brisk and evocative, classic OTR noir.
• Dialogue is clipped and tense, especially as Nelson unravels.
• Fate’s closing lines deliver poetic justice: “So the means of his escape stifled him first into unconsciousness, then to ultimate death.”

Summary for Non-Listeners:
Nelson Walker, a lifelong drifter, is tripped up by fate’s series of coincidences—beginning with a missed flight and culminating in murder, blackmail, and a desperate escape. Each minor event, often dismissed in daily life, steers him further into criminality. His fate is sealed by his own choices and a handful of everyday accidents, ending with a dark twist of poetic justice as he dies from suffocation—the same manner in which he murdered to protect his ill-gotten gains. The episode is a brooding meditation on morality and consequences, superbly structured for suspense and irony.

For further listening and similar stories:

• Seek more Diary of Fate episodes at relicradio.com.