An unexpected Bastard !

Apparently today ive been seeking a " bastard " !   Well that's what a certain sized bolt is called in engineering terms. That's its proper name. The store clerk told me this term is a well known name for this bolt of an " in between " length and girth, a special name reserved for this awkward oddity of unusual dimensions. It is not a generic term but a specific one for the bolt of this size, and its not a joke, though tonight I wonder if he was pulling my leg...but he seemed 100% serious.