What a gas bill!

I was paying the natural gas bill and was once again struck by the oddities of the bill-paying system. Everyone wants the customer to write in the amount they're sending. I suppose this is one final jog of the mind to make sure the check agrees with the amount due. Some payment stubs have a blank line, others miraculously have just enough boxes for you to fill in, and some, like the gas company, are very optimistic.

Our monthly bill usually runs into the low two figures and some-odd cents. But the gas company has conveniently left six boxes to the left of the decimal point. That would mean the consumer could easily fill in up to $999,999.99 for the monthly payment.

I'd pity the entity who owed a penny more. Where would they put the extra digit?