How a notary made an employee a multi-millionaire.

Some time ago, upon seeing an obituary in a national newspaper, our notary realized what a remarkable experience he had had thirty years ago as a candidate notary with the notary under whom he was then apprenticed and the – now – deceased, whom we will hereafter refer to as Kees for convenience and confidentiality.

Kees was in logistics and had done quite well. He had invested in retail properties wisely and promptly. The real estate portfolio, worth hundreds of millions of euros, was now worth more than the transport company itself, founded and built by the previous generations. And that wasn't exactly a small investment.

One day, Kees decided to sell the property—or rather, the shares in the real estate company—with the intention of moving with his many years younger girlfriend to a distant and sunny country with the proceeds of the sale, for a long and happy life.

He had been able to build that real estate portfolio so skillfully in part because the real estate company had a very good employee on its payroll, Karel, who had dedicated himself above average to Kees and his company for over 30 years, using his knowledge, skills, and experience to achieve the best possible direct and indirect investment results. Moreover, Kees was frugal and thrifty by nature, and that had paid off.

During the closing of the deal, which, with all the final points still to be negotiated, took a long day and night, there were frequent breaks. While other parties used the break for a drink, lunch, coffee, or a pee, Kees repeatedly retreated to a small room. For cost reasons, he used the landline of the law and notary's office in that room to personally call various tenants who, according to him, were in arrears with their rent payments. Through the thick cherrywood door, we heard Kees forcefully telling tenants who were a few hundred euros behind that they had better pay their rent quickly.

Part of the deal, worth over €400 million, stipulated that employee Karel would not transfer with the company to the buyer, but that his employment contract would be terminated, which Karel deeply regretted. After all, he had dedicated himself heart and soul to Kees for decades, making his real estate company such a resounding success. Moreover, it was his work, his passion, and his life.

At one point during the closing, Kees calculated how much it would cost him to say goodbye to Karel, applying the subdistrict court formula. He calculated, from memory, that it would cost him about €120,000 a year. Kees thought that was a good amount for Karel.

The notary involved, Peter, who had assisted Kees and Karel as a permanent notary on numerous transactions for many years, thought this was a bit stingy of Kees. And while our own notary—then still a young, promising candidate notary—had been present at that meeting between Peter and the seller, Kees, and had always—until then—believed that the public office of notary only entails the authority to execute authentic deeds in cases where the law mandates it or a party requires it, he then realized for the first time that not all notaries are created equal. Peter seemed completely unimpressed by Kees's ever-so-compelling tone, nor by his stinginess.

He said to Kees:

" Kees, look at me! If you have any decency at all, you're not going to sit on your yacht in the sun all day, sipping on a pina colada with your new, incredibly young girlfriend and €400 million in your bank account, while Karel—who made you and your fortune even bigger—gets fobbed off with a tip. You're going to give Karel a million euros ."

Kees then looked at notary Peter as if he'd heard a thunderbolt. How dare Peter bring this ill-conceived idea to him? It was Kees's own hard-earned money, and no one had ever told him what to do or not do. Not a hair on his head would even consider giving Karel anything more than the district court formula.

Two days after the closing, Karel showed up at notary Peter's office to thank him. Kees had deposited €2 million into Karel's bank account. And Kees and his young girlfriend had invited Karel and his wife to dinner at Parkheuvel as a token of gratitude for the long, enjoyable, and profitable collaboration.

A month later, after the more than excellent dinner at Parkheuvel and shortly before Kees's departure for the faraway sunny country, Karel called notary Peter. The dinner had been incredibly good, and the gathering was very enjoyable. Kees had never been so generous in choosing wonderful wines. While Karel and his wife were still enjoying the friandises, Kees and his girlfriend had already left for home, and ten minutes later the waiter presented Karel with the bill...