For two hours, Eduard forgot the empty apartment. He watched Piedone chase scoundrels through Naples, eat spaghetti like a bear, and solve problems with his fists and a crooked grin. The Romanian subtitles gave it a strange, cozy familiarity — as if Piedone had grown up in Galați, not Naples.

That night, he didn't feel alone. He felt like Piedone was right there on the couch, grumbling in Italian, but understood — word for word — in Romanian.

But the audio was Italian, and Eduard’s Italian was limited to ciao and pizza . Frustrated, he almost clicked off when he noticed a small flag icon: Română . Subtitles.

Eduard hadn't smiled in three weeks. Not since his girlfriend left, taking their dog and the remote control for the smart TV. He lay on the couch, scrolling endlessly through streaming platforms, when he stumbled upon a forgotten gem: Piedone l'africano — the old Bud Spencer film.

And for the first time in weeks, Eduard whispered to the screen: „Mulțumesc, bătrâne.”

When the film ended, Eduard sat up. He searched for the sequel. Piedone la Hong Kong . Subtitles? Da. He made popcorn.