In the book "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" by Jonathan Safran Foer, the protagonist imagines a unique solution to the emotional struggles of people in New York City. He envisions a special drain installed under every pillow, channeling the tears shed by the city's inhabitants into a central reservoir. This Reservoir of Tears would serve as a metaphorical gauge for the city's collective sorrow, allowing weathermen to report on the city's emotional state based on the water level, revealing when the city is experiencing significant grief.

This imaginative concept takes a darker turn when the protagonist considers the implications of catastrophic events. He suggests that in moments of crisis, like a nuclear attack, a loud siren would alert the public to come together and support the reservoir with sandbags. This reflects not only the depth of his emotional awareness but also the desire for communal resilience in facing tragedy, illustrating how interconnected people's experiences and responses can be in urban life.