1) It's significant that things the little boy does, the old man does as well. You would not expect an old man to cry or wet his pants.
2) Just because he's older than the kid doesn't mean he doesn't feel what the kid does. He knows what it's like.
3) I think he is trying to tell us that it doesn't matter how old you are, there are still people that understand you, and can help you with your problems, because they might have the same ones.
~Silver
