I'd like to guide you through a thought experiment to test your imagination. Read through the following passage, then close your eyes to picture the scene. Then click on the link to answer some questions. Simple, right? We'll let's proceed...

Bob is leaving work, the lucky devil, and walks outside of the office to find an overcast and generally miserable day. As he strolls out to his car, a light drizzle begins to fall and Bob picks up his pace. The rain starts to fall even harder, which again prompts Bob to begin a trot for his vehicle. As the falling water transitions to a downright pour, Bob starts running for his car, popping the trunk as he gets close to pull out an umbrella. Upon reaching his car, Bob pulls out the umbrella and opens it in preparation for walking to the driver's side door. But just as the umbrella snaps open, the rain stops and the sun peeks from behind the clouds.

Now that you've considered the scenario, there is a very important question...

Follow up:

What color is the umbrella? Was it a typical black or perhaps a fancy and garish color such as red or yellow? Was it even a solid color or did it feature a pattern such as stripes or polka dots?

You may realize now that there are no incorrect answers; the color of the umbrella is determined solely by what you pictured as you recounted the story in your mind. What is the purpose of this exercise? Solely to put the next statement in some form of context.

I can't see the damn umbrella. I don't see the car or the rain either. I have know idea of what Bob should look like. I just can't seem to form a mental image.

Apparently this isn't unheard of, but I don't have any idea of how common it is. The topic of mental imagery is one, from what little Internet searching I've done on the matter, that seems to have gained a bit of prominence in the last three decades. But almost all of the attention seems to be diverted towards how the brain formulates a mental image, not why some people can have a total lack of them.

There also appear to be some tests, such as the VVIQ, that determine a person's faculty for producing a vivid mental image. So at least it has been recognized that it is a variable trait or skill. But if I took the VVIQ, I'd have the worst possible score, reporting, "No image at all, you only 'know' that you are thinking of an object," for every question.

If you have read this far, please oblige me and answer the question with as much detail as you wish to provide using the comments link below. We probably won't solve anything, but maybe I'll find out if a couple more of you broke your projectors, too.