Powell's Hair being "Filed?" What's THAT about?!

[Laurie Verge]

My great-grandparents knew David Herold, and the story that came down to me was that he was nobody's dummy. He had book smarts and some common sense, but had lacked male guidance -- growing up in a house full of women (mother and seven sisters) with father at work.

The term "trifling" was used on him, but I have always understood that to mean someone without enough incentive to go out and really work for a living. One who prefers to fritter away the day in doing whatever pleased him. The term does not relate to stupidity in my understanding of it.