cut-out period

[blueeye]

Please, can anyone help me with the following (highlighted) phrase:

"But he got out anyway, and paid the taxi driver off. Wherever he was going, he'd walk the last part. A cut-out period, on his own. It suited his habit."

Thank you.

[Nersi]

It probably means a convenient period that suited him . A break that suited the situation.

[blueeye]

Thank you.

[JMurray]

A cut-out period, on his own. It suited his habit.

I think Nersi is nearly there. Without further context I feel that the phrase "cut-out" is the key to the meaning. It says to me that he was glad to walk the rest of the way because he valued the chance for some time alone, cut off for a few minutes from the world and whatever he was involved in. The final phrase suggests that taking some time-out to be alone was something he did regularly.

not a teacher