Why there are rich and poor?

This question is pregnant with more questions. But my take on why there are rich and poor people is partly because of them, the people themselves. Take this for an example, me and my friend. While I was in school, my friend was in the streets enjoying life away from the drudgery of the class lecture. When I entered college, my friend had officially quit schooling since he couldn’t cope with the high school system of education. When I got a job in the office, my friend was working as a handy man, working for anything just to earn. And I got one child while he has 4.

Now, where is the equality there when it comes to financial standing? Is it my fault that I am rich (by normal standards) and he is poor? I had invested my time in education and serious work while he invested in social affairs like drinking every night and gambling (card games, cockfighting, horse racing, etc) and gallivanting. And being a friend, is it my responsibility to help him in times of need? Oh well, that’s too hard to answer.