Growing up, we would often play “catch” with Dad.
His grandfather played pro baseball back in the 1920’s – and Dad also played growing up.
So back-yard “catch” was an infinite game that we would play, simply for the sake of playing.
When you play “catch,” when the person throws the ball, you don’t know for certain where it’ll land.
Once it’s left their hand, you’re assessing it. You’re overlaying the throw with similar throws you’ve seen before – all instantaneously. Kind of like a rapid pattern recognition.
We use this kind of pattern recognition all the time – and it makes a lot of the complex movements we can do with our bodies even possible.
Now, he throws the ball, and, having seen something like this throw before, we can estimate where the ball is heading. We have a good idea of the “arc” of the story here.
What makes the “catching” side of the game fun, is that either:
a) This entire “arc” might change suddenly through an unexpected throw (sometimes he threw a “knuckle” ball…), or
b) We miss-judge the known pattern, or fail to execute on the catch (“butterfingers.”)
If we were “told” exactly where the ball was going to land ahead of the throw – we’d simply put our glove there and stand still. There would be no risk, and full certainty.
This of course changes the game (and you could argue eliminates any “game” aspect).
Knowing the exact outcome, lesson, position or message of a story changes the story arc entirely. Yes it brings certainty, but it removes imagination.
Sometimes, the joy in the game itself comes from having to try and figure out the slightly open ending.
