You make a good point, and I definitely see what you're saying--I often don't directly picture things (as my mother did as a child) unless I pause to do so. It certainly sounds like you derive meaning from text--which is possibly what I intended to say, but stopped myself because the term is so vague. I suspect the difference between data and story is the difference in reaction. A response to data might be, "Okay... so what?" because the story has no intrinsic, quantifiable value. A response to a story is almost certainly more emotional, a feeling of at least entertainment, or perhaps some sort of fulfillment or satisfaction. A well-told story that resonates with me is one that I leave feeling as though it is *right,* that it is a whole unto itself (or unto its four volume set, depending on the case!).

But now I'm moving into the realm of pure speculation, since I've left behind my concrete example (told to me second-hand). :)