Merits of Knowing

The US pretends to be a meritocracy.
We, as a whole, believe that if you work hard enough and do good things you will be recognized and succeed. Tonight I was, once again, reminded how wrong that is. It isn't what you know, it is who you know. The poor folks don't have a chance because they don't know anyone other than a bunch more poor folk. This explains why, after 40 years of hard labor my dad retired to social security rather than the fat checks he deserves based on the hours of work and dedication he poured into the various lines of work he did to make ends meet for our family.
Tonight I was offered a job, not because I performed outstanding work or because I merited the offer. No, I was offered a job because I know somebody that works at the company and I bought the right person a drink. I got fucked up on cheap beer and shots and that is my reward. How sick is that? I'm at a bar sipping a moosehead and that lands me a job offer, while those poor shmoes on the welfare line aren't trying hard enough to get work in the estimation of our republican administration. If it weren't for the fact that I am a poor white piece of trash at the heart, I would probably think, as does gee Dub, that I deserve what I was offered rather than I was offered something because of who I bought a drink for.